High Protein Foods May Put Heart Health At Risk

High protein foods may put heart health at risk

According to a new study analyzing the data of thousands of people, an excessive intake of a certain kind of amino acid present in protein-rich foods is associated with a higher cardiometabolic risk

Islamabad (Pakistan Point News / Online - 06th February, 2020) According to a new study analyzing the data of thousands of people, an excessive intake of a certain kind of amino acid present in protein-rich foods is associated with a higher cardiometabolic risk.A new study in humans adds to the evidence that protein-rich foods, such as meat, may have a negative effect on heart health.Many people follow diets that are high in protein, which can help with weight loss and building muscle mass.

However, increasingly, researchers are starting to question whether protein-rich foods provide enough benefits to offset the potential risks.For the most part, various recent studies have suggested that high protein foods may affect the health of the heart and the cardiovascular system.For example, a study in animal models that Medical news Today covered last week found that diets that are high in protein may be directly responsible for cardiovascular problems, such as atherosclerosis.

Cardiometabolic risk and dietTwo sulfur amino acids occur in protein-rich food. These are methionine, an essential amino acid, and cysteine, a semi-essential amino acid.The human body needs these amino acids to function well, and it must obtain them from a food source. The body cannot synthesize essential amino acids, and it cannot make enough of the semi-essential ones.However, as with many other nutrients, if they are present in excessive quantities, amino acids can end up doing more harm than good.

This is what Penn State researchers noticed when they looked at the diets and health status of 11,576 individuals, whose data they accessed via thethird National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted.The researchers came up with a composite cardiometabolic disease risk score assessing each participant's risk of developing cardiometabolic problems, such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

�First epidemiologic evidence'The team's final analysis, which accounted for body weight measurements, revealed that the participants had an average intake of sulfur amino acids that was almost 2.5 times higher than the estimated average requirement of 15 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day."Many people in the U.S. consume a diet rich in meat and dairy products, and the estimated average requirement is only expected to meet the needs of half of healthy individuals," points out study co-author Xiang Gao.

As for the source of the sulfur amino acids, the team said that they were present in almost all foods, excluding grains, fruit, and vegetables."Meats and other high protein foods are generally higher in sulfur amino acid content," notes lead author Zhen Dong, Ph.D."People who eat lots of plant-based products like fruits and vegetables will consume lower amounts of sulfur amino acids. These results support some of the beneficial health effects observed in those who eat vegan or other plant-based diets," Dong adds.