Saturated Fats and Cardiovascular Health: Current Evidence and Controversies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin C Maki ◽  
Mary R Dicklin ◽  
Carol F Kirkpatrick
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Saturated Fats

scholarly journals Dietary fibre and cardiovascular health: a review of current evidence and policy

2019 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Elizabeth Louise Evans
Keyword(s):  
Dietary Fibre ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Lower Blood ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Small And Large Intestine

Dietary fibre comprises many different, mainly plant-based, compounds that are not fully digested in the human gut. Insoluble fibres include cellulose, hemi-celluloses and lignin and soluble fibres include pectins, β-glucan and hydro-colloids. In the UK, the daily recommended amount has increased to 30 g but only 13 % of men and 4 % of women meet this recommendation. Currently the mean intake for adults is 21 g for men and 17 g for women. There is a wealth of epidemiological evidence based on systematic reviews of trials and cohorts to support the higher fibre recommendation. This includes evidence of reductions in the risk for CVD (both heart disease and stroke) and lower risk of type 2 diabetes, lower blood pressure, lower LDL-cholesterol, as well as some cancers. Beneficial effects of fibre operate via a diverse range of mechanisms throughout the digestive system including the mouth, stomach and small and large intestine; some of which are still not completely understood. The updated recommendation for fibre is a long way from a typical British diet and requires several daily portions of fruit and vegetables and wholegrain foods. Improving dietary fibre intakes will require a variety of actions and policies from stakeholders; however, there is currently more of a focus on reducing sugar than increasing fibre. In order to increase the number of adults meeting the fibre recommendation, social marketing and labelling of high-fibre foods are warranted as well as reformulation and wider availability of wholegrain versions of popular foods.

scholarly journals Plasticizers and Cardiovascular Health: Role of Adipose Tissue Dysfunction

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikyla A. Callaghan ◽  
Samuel Alatorre-Hinojosa ◽  
Liam T. Connors ◽  
Radha D. Singh ◽  
Jennifer A. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
The United States ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting ◽  
And Function

Since the 1950s, the production of plastics has increased 200-fold, reaching 360 million tonnes in 2019. Plasticizers, additives that modify the flexibility and rigidity of the product, are ingested as they migrate into food and beverages. Human exposure is continuous and widespread; between 75 and 97% of urine samples contain detectable levels of bisphenols and phthalates, the most common plasticizers. Concern over the toxicity of plasticizers arose in the late 1990s, largely focused around adverse developmental and reproductive effects. More recently, many studies have demonstrated that exposure to plasticizers increases the risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). In the 2000s, many governments including Canada, the United States and European countries restricted the use of certain plasticizers in products targeted towards infants and children. Resultant consumer pressure motivated manufacturers to substitute plasticizers with analogues, which have been marketed as safe. However, data on the effects of these new substitutes are limited and data available to-date suggest that many exhibit similar properties to the chemicals they replaced. The adverse effects of plasticizers have largely been attributed to their endocrine disrupting properties, which modulate hormone signaling. Adipose tissue has been well-documented to be a target of the disrupting effects of both bisphenols and phthalates. Since adipose tissue function is a key determinant of cardiovascular health, adverse effects of plasticizers on adipocyte signaling and function may underlie their link to cardiovascular disease. Herein, we discuss the current evidence linking bisphenols and phthalates to obesity and CVD and consider how documented impacts of these plasticizers on adipocyte function may contribute to the development of CVD.

scholarly journals High-Intensity Interval Training After Stroke: An Opportunity to Promote Functional Recovery, Cardiovascular Health, and Neuroplasticity

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 543-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Crozier ◽  
Marc Roig ◽  
Janice J. Eng ◽  
Marilyn MacKay-Lyons ◽  
Joyce Fung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Intensity ◽  
Stroke Rehabilitation ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Interval Training ◽  
Moderate Intensity ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
High Intensity Interval Training ◽  
Cardiovascular Exercise ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
High Intensity Interval

Introduction. Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability. Individuals poststroke possess less than half of the cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) as their nonstroke counterparts, leading to inactivity, deconditioning, and an increased risk of cardiovascular events. Preserving cardiovascular health is critical to lower stroke risk; however, stroke rehabilitation typically provides limited opportunity for cardiovascular exercise. Optimal cardiovascular training parameters to maximize recovery in stroke survivors also remains unknown. While stroke rehabilitation recommendations suggest the use of moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE) to improve CRF, neither is it routinely implemented in clinical practice, nor is the intensity always sufficient to elicit a training effect. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has emerged as a potentially effective alternative that encompasses brief high-intensity bursts of exercise interspersed with bouts of recovery, aiming to maximize cardiovascular exercise intensity in a time-efficient manner. HIIT may provide an alternative exercise intervention and invoke more pronounced benefits poststroke. Objectives. To provide an updated review of HIIT poststroke through ( a) synthesizing current evidence; ( b) proposing preliminary considerations of HIIT parameters to optimize benefit; ( c) discussing potential mechanisms underlying changes in function, cardiovascular health, and neuroplasticity following HIIT; and ( d) discussing clinical implications and directions for future research. Results. Preliminary evidence from 10 studies report HIIT-associated improvements in functional, cardiovascular, and neuroplastic outcomes poststroke; however, optimal HIIT parameters remain unknown. Conclusion. Larger randomized controlled trials are necessary to establish ( a) effectiveness, safety, and optimal training parameters within more heterogeneous poststroke populations; (b) potential mechanisms of HIIT-associated improvements; and ( c) adherence and psychosocial outcomes.

Sexual dysfunction in men and women with diabetes: a mirror of their complications?

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Sansone ◽  
Danielle Mollaioli ◽  
Giacomo Ciocca ◽  
Erika Limoncin ◽  
Elena Colonnello ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dysfunction ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Vascular Complications ◽  
Premature Mortality ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Sexual Dysfunctions ◽  
Adequate Treatment ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Beneficial Effects

Background.: Diabetes mellitus (DM), one of the worldwide leading causes of death, is associated with a plethora of micro- and macro-vascular complications which should be carefully investigated and, in case, treated in order to improve quality of life and reduce the risk of premature mortality. Objective: To investigate and report current evidence in regards to the association between sexual dysfunction and diabetes. Methods: A detailed analysis of current literature has been performed on PubMed and Scholar in order to retrieve the most relevant findings pertaining to study topic. Results: Female and male sexual dysfunction often occur in the context of diabetes; while cardiovascular complications are clearly involved, psychosexological factors, endocrine complications, and endothelial dysfunction all contribute to the pathogenesis of sexual dysfunctions. Psychological symptoms are seldom investigated, yet should not be overlooked by the clinician; in fact, an interplay between sexual dysfunctions and depressive symptoms has been reported, and beneficial effects on both conditions might be obtained by adequate psychological support. Sexual dysfunctions can also act as early biomarkers of cardiovascular disease – a phenomenon frequently reported in men, in which erectile dysfunction predicts the development of coronary artery disease. Additionally, drug therapies can act in both directions, with treatments for diabetes possibly improving male sexual function and beneficial effects for cardiovascular health being reported for pro-erectile drugs. Conclusion: Sexual dysfunctions often occur in men and women with diabetes. Investigating micro- and macro-vascular complications might not be enough to prevent the development or worsening of any sexual dysfunction; endocrine and psychological assessment are therefore needed to provide the best chances for adequate treatment.

scholarly journals The Effects and Potential Mechanism of Oil Palm Phenolics in Cardiovascular Health: A Review on Current Evidence

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2055
Author(s):  
Nurul ‘Izzah Ibrahim ◽  
Syed Fairus ◽  
Isa Naina Mohamed
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Lifestyle Modification ◽  
Cholesterol Biosynthesis ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Cardioprotective Effects ◽  
Oil Palm Phenolics

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is globally known as the number one cause of death with hyperlipidemia as a strong risk factor for CVD. The initiation of drug treatment will be recommended if lifestyle modification fails. However, medicines currently used for improving cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterols (LDL-C) levels have been associated with various side effects. Thus, alternative treatment with fewer or no side effects needs to be explored. A potential agent, oil palm phenolics (OPP) recovered from the aqueous waste of oil palm milling process contains numerous water-soluble phenolic compounds. It has been postulated that OPP has shown cardioprotective effects via several mechanisms such as cholesterol biosynthesis pathway, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This review aims to summarize the current evidence explicating the actions of OPP in cardiovascular health and the mechanisms that maybe involved for the cardioprotective effects.

scholarly journals Achieving Optimal Population Cardiovascular Health Requires an Interdisciplinary Team and a Learning Healthcare System: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randi E. Foraker ◽  
Catherine P. Benziger ◽  
Bailey M. DeBarmore ◽  
Crystal W. Cené ◽  
Fleetwood Loustalot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare System ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Interdisciplinary Team ◽  
Heart Association ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Team Approach ◽  
Learning Healthcare System ◽  
Scientific Statement ◽  
The Impact

Population cardiovascular health, or improving cardiovascular health among patients and the population at large, requires a redoubling of primordial and primary prevention efforts as declines in cardiovascular disease mortality have decelerated over the past decade. Great potential exists for healthcare systems–based approaches to aid in reversing these trends. A learning healthcare system, in which population cardiovascular health metrics are measured, evaluated, intervened on, and re-evaluated, can serve as a model for developing the evidence base for developing, deploying, and disseminating interventions. This scientific statement on optimizing population cardiovascular health summarizes the current evidence for such an approach; reviews contemporary sources for relevant performance and clinical metrics; highlights the role of implementation science strategies; and advocates for an interdisciplinary team approach to enhance the impact of this work.

scholarly journals Cardiovascular disease in transgendered people: A review of the literature and discussion of risk

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 204800401988074 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leighton J Seal
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Hormonal Therapy ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Male Population ◽  
Transgendered People ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
General Male Population ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Lipid Parameters

This review examines the impact of gender affirming hormone therapy used in the transgendered and non-binary populations on cardiovascular outcomes and surrogate markers of cardiovascular health. Current evidence suggests that hormonal therapy for transgendered women decreases or is neutral regarding myocardial infarction risk. There is an increased incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE), but newer studies suggest that the risk is significantly lower than previously described. For transgendered men, there appears to be an adverse effect on lipid parameters but this does not translate into an increased risk of cardiovascular disease above that of general male population. In all transgendered people, risk factor interventions such as smoking cessation, weight management and treatment of co-morbid conditions are important in optimising cardiovascular health. The effect of gender affirming hormonal therapy in transgendered people is difficult to interpret due to the variety of hormone regimens used, the relative brevity of the periods of observation and the influence of confounding factors such as the historical use of less physiological, oestrogens such as conjugated equine oestrogen and ethinylestradiol which are more pro-thrombotic than the 17β oestradiol that is used in modern practice.

scholarly journals The Role of Dietary Nitrate and the Oral Microbiome on Blood Pressure and Vascular tone

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-53
Author(s):  
H.S. Alzahrani ◽  
K.G. Jackson ◽  
D.A. Hobbs ◽  
J.A. Lovegrove
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Vascular Function ◽  
Vascular Tone ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Oral Bacteria ◽  
Oral Microbiome ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Dietary Nitrate ◽  
Beneficial Effects

Abstract There is increasing evidence for the health benefits of dietary nitrates including lowering blood pressure and enhancing cardiovascular health. Although commensal oral bacteria play an important role in converting dietary nitrate to nitrite, very little is known about the potential role of these bacteria in blood pressure regulation and maintenance of vascular tone. The main purpose of this review is to present the current evidence on the involvement of the oral microbiome in mediating the beneficial effects of dietary nitrate on vascular function and to identify sources of inter and intra-individual differences in bacterial composition. A systematic approach was used to identify the relevant articles published on PubMed and Web of Science in English from January 1950 until September 2019 examining the effects of dietary nitrate on oral microbiome composition and association with blood pressure and vascular tone. To date, only a limited number of studies have been conducted, with n=9 in humans and n=3 in animals focusing mainly on blood pressure. In general, elimination of oral bacteria with use of a chlorhexidine based antiseptic mouthwash reduced the conversion of nitrate to nitrite and was accompanied in some studies by an increase in blood pressure in normotensive subjects. In conclusion, our findings suggest that oral bacteria may play an important role in mediating the beneficial effects of nitrate-rich foods on blood pressure. Further human intervention studies assessing the potential effects of dietary nitrate on oral bacteria composition and relationship to real time measures of vascular function are needed, particularly in individuals with hypertension and those at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

scholarly journals Cardiovascular Health Research in the Workplace: A Workshop Report

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Calitz ◽  
Charlotte Pratt ◽  
Nicolaas P. Pronk ◽  
Janet E. Fulton ◽  
Kimberly Jinnett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Research ◽  
Data Science ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Heart Association ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
The United States ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Workplace Health

Abstract Heart disease and stroke are the first and fifth leading causes of death in the United States, respectively. Employers have a unique opportunity to promote cardiovascular health, because >60% of US adults are employed, and most spend half of their waking hours at work. Despite the scope of the opportunity, <1 in 5 businesses implement evidence‐based, comprehensive workplace health programs, policies, and practices. Integrated, systems‐based workplace health approaches that harness data science and technology may have the potential to reach more employees and be cost‐effective for employers. To evaluate the role of the workplace in promoting cardiovascular health across the lifespan, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and the American Heart Association convened a workshop on March 7, 2019, to share best practices, and to discuss current evidence and knowledge gaps, practical application, and dissemination of the evidence, and the need for innovation in workplace health research and practice. This report presents the broad themes discussed at the workshop and considerations for promoting worker cardiovascular health, including opportunities for future research.

scholarly journals The Synergistic Interplay between Vitamins D and K for Bone and Cardiovascular Health: A Narrative Review

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriana J. van Ballegooijen ◽  
Stefan Pilz ◽  
Andreas Tomaschitz ◽  
Martin R. Grübler ◽  
Nicolas Verheyen
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin D ◽  
Vitamin K ◽  
Bone Health ◽  
Calcium Metabolism ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Human Studies ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Intervention Trials ◽  
Fat Soluble Vitamins ◽  
Fermented Dairy

Vitamins D and K are both fat-soluble vitamins and play a central role in calcium metabolism. Vitamin D promotes the production of vitamin K-dependent proteins, which require vitamin K for carboxylation in order to function properly. The purpose of this review is to summarize available evidence of the synergistic interplay between vitamins D and K on bone and cardiovascular health. Animal and human studies suggest that optimal concentrations of both vitamin D and vitamin K are beneficial for bone and cardiovascular health as supported by genetic, molecular, cellular, and human studies. Most clinical trials studied vitamin D and K supplementation with bone health in postmenopausal women. Few intervention trials studied vitamin D and K supplementation with cardiovascular-related outcomes. These limited studies indicate that joint supplementation might be beneficial for cardiovascular health. Current evidence supports the notion that joint supplementation of vitamins D and K might be more effective than the consumption of either alone for bone and cardiovascular health. As more is discovered about the powerful combination of vitamins D and K, it gives a renewed reason to eat a healthy diet including a variety of foods such as vegetables and fermented dairy for bone and cardiovascular health.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document