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- A new study examines the advantages and disadvantages of avoiding meat and other animal products.
- The researchers found that people who avoided meat were more likely to have a stroke.
- However, people who consume meat are more likely to develop heart disease.
It is commonly accepted that an herbal diet will reduce the risk of heart disease – but recent research shows that it could expose you to another serious health problem: stroke.
Published in the United Kingdom
"Vegetarian and vegan diets have become increasingly popular in recent years, partly because of perceived health benefits, but also for the environment and animal welfare," Healthline told Tammy. Tong, principal investigator.
According to the findings, fish eaters and vegetarians had heart disease rates that were 13% and 22% lower, respectively, than meat eaters. But the researchers have also discovered something very surprising.
Vegetarians were at a risk of stroke about 20 percent higher than meat eaters, mainly because of a higher rate of a particular type called hemorrhagic stroke.
"Hemorrhagic stroke is a type of stroke that is caused by the rupture of a weakened blood vessel, leading to a flow of blood into the brain. The most common causes are uncontrolled high blood pressure, rupture of a cerebral aneurysm or rupture of an abnormal blood vessel in the brain, "said Dr. Ishwara Sankara, neurointensivist and member of the Texas Health Fort Worth medical staff, in collaboration with Neurocritical Care Associates, Fort Worth. Texas Health Physicians Group, practice.
Sankara explained that these types of stroke can often cause more damage and be more deadly than ischemic stroke caused by blood clots.
This study was based on the EPIC-Oxford study (European Prospective Investigation for Cancer and Nutrition) and included information on 48,188 people in their forties with no history of coronary artery disease or diabetes. 39, stroke.
They were divided into meat eaters, pescataries (fish eaters), vegetarians and vegans.
According to an accompanying editorial published with this study, it was "the ideal study plan to examine the long-term effects of dietary habits on health." The authors paid particular attention to the adjustment to sociodemographic and lifestyle-related confounders and to the application of rigorous statistical methods. "
Although previous research has associated vegetarian consumption with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease compared to people consuming meat, little has been reported about the difference in risk of stroke.
As health, environmental and ethical concerns about meat become more important, more and more people have turned to vegetarian or vegan diets.
"However, the magnitude of the benefits and potential health risks of these diets is not well understood," Tong said. "Some recent
"But, in absolute numbers, the lower risk of coronary heart disease exceeds the higher risk of stroke in vegetarians," she said. "The results are also based on a single study, so it is necessary to continue research to determine if the results can be generalized to other populations."
Tong suggests that the increased risk of stroke associated with a vegetarian diet might reflect low blood levels of total cholesterol or a low intake of certain essential nutrients.
"The higher rate of hemorrhagic and total strokes in the vegetarian / vegan group seems surprising. However, as the authors point out, these findings are not dissimilar compared to other Japanese and Chinese research linking vegetarian diets to higher rates of stroke. They attribute this to the potential protective effect of some meat products, "said Dr. Jennifer H. Haythe, a cardiologist at Columbia Medical Center at Irving University.
Sankara emphasized the need for further research to understand the reason for this increased risk.
"One thing that could contribute to this observation could be the fact that vegetarians and vegans are at a higher risk of developing vitamin B-12, vitamin D and other nutrient deficiencies that could contribute to a neurological disease, "said Sankara.
If the body is deficient in nutrients, it can lead to an increased risk of various health problems.
"Nutrient deficiencies, especially vitamin deficiencies such as vitamin B-12, and other B vitamins like folic acid (B-9) and B-6, may increase the risk of "Stroke", he said.
"Vitamin D deficiency can also increase the risk of stroke. It is imperative that vegetarians discuss with their primary care physician, be screened for these deficiencies and be appropriately treated with vitamin supplements as needed, "he added.
The brain is an extremely fat organ.
About 60% of the human brain consists of fat, including 20% fat with extraordinary health properties. It is an omega-3 fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid (
The critical functions of DHA include:
- myelin formation to isolate our nerves and neurons
- maintain the integrity of the blood-brain barrier
- play a critical role in the development of the brain's cortex, where we make all our thoughts more complex
Without DHA, the complex connections needed for mental focus and problem-solving ability will not form properly and plant-based foods will not have it.
For those who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, it is important to know.
Omega-3 fatty acid in foods of plant origin, such as red beans or flax, is called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is very
Recent research shows that people who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet have a reduced risk of coronary heart disease, but an increased risk of stroke particularly dangerous.
Experts say this may be due to the lack of some essential nutrients in herbal diets, but they warn that more research is needed to confirm this association.
For optimal health and development, the human brain needs a fat called DHA, which is only found in meat. Although foods of plant origin contain a substance called ALA that can be turned into DHA, very little of this substance can be converted into the body.
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