Study reveals lifestyle factors that can harden arteries

A new study from the University of Georgia has highlighted lifestyle factors that could lead to hardening of the arteries.

One of the largest of its kind, the study established a non-targeted metabolomic profile of more than 1,200 participants in the Bogalusa Heart Study to identify metabolites related to hardening of the arteries.

Arterial hardening, or arterial stiffness, is an independent risk factor for heart disease and death, and the mechanisms that contribute to arterial stiffness are not well understood.

It is there that metabolomics can help lift the curtain on when and when arterial stiffness begins to manifest itself.

Metabolomics is the study of metabolites, which are created whenever there is a transfer of energy in the body. Metabolites play a key role in maintaining normal body functioning and changes in metabolite levels may reflect the influence of environmental factors, such as smoking, diet or pollutants, on health .

"The metabolomics can accurately measure the number of penetrating exposures in the body," said author of the study, Changwei Li.

"In this study, we identified many metabolites related to coffee consumption, alcohol, southern foods, dietary supplements and even pesticides," said Li, assistant professor of epidemiology. and biostatistics at the UGA College of Public Health.

Using the most recent metabolites panel, Li and his colleagues conducted an analysis of participants' blood samples, looking for environmental exposures impacting arterial stiffness measurements.

The study revealed 27 new metabolites associated with arterial stiffness.

"We have been able to identify certain metabolites related to the environment and lifestyle, to build metabolite networks to show how the body reacts to environmental exposures and, more importantly, to test the Effect of these metabolites on arterial stiffness, "Li said.

The majority of them were associated with other known risk factors for arterial stiffness, such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia or diabetes.

But some of these metabolites are food additives and cooking ingredients found in many American kitchens.

For example, the team identified two peptides, gamma-glutamylvaline and gamma-glutamylisoleucine, commonly used to enhance the tasty taste of chicken broth.

"Our study has evoked the possibility that these additives are at the origin of arterial stiffness.Because of the wide use of these additives, further studies are needed to study their role in arterial stiffness."

To be clear, said Li, the current study is a snapshot of the metabolites. The relationship between certain metabolites and arterial stiffness over time is unclear and he plans to repeat this study using longitudinal data.

The full report of the conclusions can be found in the last issue of American Journal of Hypertension.