n-6 Fatty acids and cardiovascular health: a review of the evidence for dietary intake recommendations

n-6 PUFA are well known for their critical role in many physiological functions and seem to reduce risks of CHD. However, some argue that excessive consumption of n-6 PUFA may lead to adverse effects on health and therefore recommend reducing dietary n-6 PUFA intake or fixing an upper limit. In this context, the present work aimed to review evidence on the link between n-6 PUFA and risks of CVD. Epidemiological studies show that n-6 PUFA dietary intake significantly lowers blood LDL-cholesterol levels. In addition, n-6 PUFA intake does not increase several CVD risk factors such as blood pressure, inflammatory markers, haemostatic parameters and obesity. Data from prospective cohort and interventional studies converge towards a specific protective role of dietary n-6 PUFA intake, in particular linoleic acid, against CVD. n-6 PUFA benefits are even increased when SFA intake is also reduced. In regards to studies examined in this narrative review, recommendation for n-6 PUFA intake above 5 %, and ideally about 10 %, of total energy appears justified.

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Plasma Fatty Acids in Zambian Adults with HIV/AIDS: Relation to Dietary Intake and Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism ◽

10.1155/2015/635817 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Christopher K. Nyirenda ◽

Edmond K. Kabagambe ◽

John R. Koethe ◽

James N. Kiage ◽

Benjamin H. Chi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Arachidonic Acid ◽

Dietary Intake ◽

Plasma Levels ◽

Saturated Fatty Acids ◽

Cvd Risk ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Pufa Intake ◽

Aids Progression ◽

Hiv Aids

Objective. To determine whether 24 hr dietary recalls (DR) are a good measure of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake when compared to plasma levels, and whether plasma PUFA is associated with markers of HIV/AIDS progression and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.Methods. In a cross-sectional study among 210 antiretroviral therapy-naïve HIV-infected adults from Lusaka, Zambia, we collected data on medical history and dietary intake using 24 hr DR. We measured fatty acids and markers of AIDS progression and CVD risk in fasting plasma collected at baseline.Results. PUFA intakes showed modest correlations with corresponding plasma levels; Spearman correlations were 0.36(p<0.01)for eicosapentaenoic acid and 0.21(p=0.005)for docosahexaenoic acid. While there were no significant associations(p>0.05)between total plasma PUFA and C-reactive protein (CRP) or lipid levels, plasma arachidonic acid was inversely associated with CRP and triglycerides and positively associated with HDL-C, CD4+ T-cell count, and plasma albumin(p<0.05). Plasma saturated fatty acids (SFA) were positively associated with CRP (β= 0.24; 95% CI: 0.08 to 0.40,p=0.003) and triglycerides (β= 0.08; 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.12,p<0.01).Conclusions. Our data suggest that a single DR is inadequate for assessing PUFA intake and that plasma arachidonic acid levels may modulate HIV/AIDS progression and CVD risk.

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What Do We Know about Diet and Markers of Cardiovascular Health in Children: A Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16040548 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 548 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Pouya Saeedi ◽

Amin Shavandi ◽

Paula Skidmore

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Arterial Stiffness ◽

Dietary Intake ◽

Cardiovascular Health ◽

Substantial Contribution ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Future Research ◽

Original Research ◽

Cvd Risk Factors ◽

Cvd Risk

Chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the main health concerns in the 21st century, with CVD as the number one cause of mortality worldwide. Although CVD hard endpoints such as stroke or heart attack do not usually occur in children, evidence shows that the manifestation of CVD risk factors begins in childhood, preceding clinical complications of CVD in adulthood. Dietary intake is a modifiable risk factor that has been shown to make a substantial contribution to the risk of CVD in adulthood. However, less is known about the association between dietary intake and markers of cardiovascular health in children. This review summarises the current evidence on the relationship between dietary intake and markers of cardiovascular health including traditional CVD risk factors, physical fitness, and indices of arterial stiffness and wave reflection in children. Original research published in English, between January 2008 and December 2018 fulfilling the objective of this review were screened and included. Findings show that adaptation of a healthy lifestyle early in life can be beneficial for reducing the risk of CVD later in life. Furthermore, keeping arterial stiffness low from a young age could be a potential CVD prevention strategy. However, limited studies are available on diet-arterial stiffness relationship in children, and future research is required to better understand this association to aid the development and implementation of evidence-based strategies for preventing CVD-related complications later in life.

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The Roles of Carotenoid Consumption and Bioavailability in Cardiovascular Health

Antioxidants ◽

10.3390/antiox10121978 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 1978

Author(s):

Yuanhang Yao ◽

Hongyi Manfred Goh ◽

Jung Eun Kim

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Cardiovascular Health ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Vascular Health ◽

Cvd Risk Factors ◽

Cvd Risk ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Health Related ◽

Dietary Carotenoid ◽

Dietary Strategies

Carotenoids are natural pigments generally with a polyene chain consisting of 9–11 double bonds. In recent years, there has been increasing research interest in carotenoids because of their protective roles in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). While the consumption of carotenoids may have a beneficial effect on CVDs, the literature shows inconsistencies between carotenoid consumption and reductions in the risk of CVDs. Therefore, this review aims to provide a summary of the association between dietary carotenoid intake and the risk of CVDs from published epidemiological studies. Meanwhile, to further elucidate the roles of carotenoid intake in CVD protection, this review outlines the evidence reporting the effects of carotenoids on cardiovascular health from randomized controlled trials by assessing classical CVD risk factors, oxidative stress, inflammatory markers and vascular health-related parameters, respectively. Given the considerable discrepancies among the published results, this review underlines the importance of bioavailability and summarizes the current dietary strategies for improving the bioavailability of carotenoids. In conclusion, this review supports the protective roles of carotenoids against CVDs, possibly by attenuating oxidative stress and mitigating inflammatory response. In addition, this review suggests that the bioavailability of carotenoids should be considered when evaluating the roles of carotenoids in CVD protection.

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Fat from dairy foods and ‘meat’ consumed within recommended levels is associated with favourable serum cholesterol levels in institutionalised older adults

Journal of Nutritional Science ◽

10.1017/jns.2019.5 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Yusi Liu ◽

Shirley Poon ◽

Ego Seeman ◽

David L. Hare ◽

Minh Bui ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Serum Cholesterol ◽

Cardiovascular Health ◽

Saturated Fat ◽

Hdl Cholesterol ◽

Fat Intake ◽

Cvd Risk ◽

Cholesterol Ratio ◽

Dairy Foods ◽

Cholesterol Levels

AbstractCVD is common in older adults. Consumption of ‘meat’ (beef, pork, lamb, game, poultry, seafood, eggs) and dairy foods (milk, cheese, yoghurt) is encouraged in older adults as these foods provide protein and nutrients such as essential fatty acids, Ca, Fe, Zn and vitamins A, D and B12 required for healthy ageing. However, these foods also contain saturated fats considered detrimental to cardiovascular health. To determine the effect of their consumption on CVD risk we assessed associations between fat intake from ‘meat’ and dairy foods and serum cholesterol levels in 226 aged-care residents (mean age 85·5 years, 70 % female). Dietary intake was determined over 2 d using visual estimation of plate waste. Fat content of foods was determined using nutrition analysis software (Xyris, Australia). Fasting serum total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol were measured, and the TC:HDL-cholesterol ratio calculated. Associations were determined using random-effect models adjusted for CVD risk factors using STATA/IC 13.0. Total fat and saturated fat from ‘meat’ and dairy foods were associated with higher serum HDL-cholesterol levels, and dairy fat intake and number of servings were associated with a lower TC:HDL-cholesterol ratio. Every 10 g higher intake of fat and saturated fat from dairy products, and each additional serving was associated with a −0·375 (95 % CI −0·574, −0·175; P = 0·0002), a −0·525 (95 % CI −0·834, −0·213; P = 0·001) and a −0·245 (95 % CI −0·458, −0·033; P = 0·024) lower TC:HDL-cholesterol ratio, respectively. Provision of dairy foods and ‘meat’ in recommended amounts to institutionalised older adults potentially improves intakes of key nutrients with limited detriment to cardiovascular health.

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The critical role of epigenetic mechanism in PM2.5-induced cardiovascular diseases

Genes and Environment ◽

10.1186/s41021-021-00219-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 43 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Qinglin Sun ◽

Xiaoke Ren ◽

Zhiwei Sun ◽

Junchao Duan

Keyword(s):

Cardiovascular Health ◽

Human Life ◽

Fine Particulate Matter ◽

Critical Role ◽

Underlying Mechanism ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Epigenetic Mechanism ◽

Epigenetic Changes ◽

Functional Changes ◽

Adults And Children

AbstractCardiovascular disease (CVD) has become the leading cause of death worldwide, which seriously threatens human life and health. Epidemiological studies have confirmed the occurrence and development of CVD are closely related to air pollution. In particular, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is recognized as an important environmental factor contributing to increased morbidity, mortality and hospitalization rates among adults and children. However, the underlying mechanism by which PM2.5 promotes CVD development remains unclear. With the development of epigenetics, recent studies have shown that PM2.5 exposure may induce or aggravate CVD through epigenetic changes. In order to better understand the potential mechanisms, this paper reviews the epigenetic changes of CVD caused by PM2.5. We summarized the epigenetic mechanisms of PM2.5 causing cardiovascular pathological damage and functional changes, mainly involving DNA methylation, non-coding RNA, histone modification and chromosome remodeling. It will provide important clues for exploring the biological mechanisms affecting cardiovascular health.

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Nuts and CVD

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114514003924 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 113 (S2) ◽

pp. S111-S120 ◽

Cited By ~ 84

Author(s):

Emilio Ros

Keyword(s):

Beneficial Effect ◽

Vascular Reactivity ◽

Cardiovascular Health ◽

Unsaturated Fatty Acids ◽

Randomised Clinical Trial ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Nutrition Intervention ◽

Cvd Risk ◽

The Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Unique Composition

Nuts are nutrient-dense foods with complex matrices rich in unsaturated fatty acids and other bioactive compounds, such as l-arginine, fibre, healthful minerals, vitamin E, phytosterols and polyphenols. By virtue of their unique composition, nuts are likely to beneficially affect cardiovascular health. Epidemiological studies have associated nut consumption with a reduced incidence of CHD in both sexes and of diabetes in women, but not in men. Feeding trials have clearly demonstrated that consumption of all kinds of nuts has a cholesterol-lowering effect, even in the context of healthy diets. There is increasing evidence that nut consumption has a beneficial effect on oxidative stress, inflammation and vascular reactivity. Blood pressure, visceral adiposity and the metabolic syndrome also appear to be positively influenced by nut consumption. Contrary to expectations, epidemiological studies and clinical trials suggest that regular nut consumption is not associated with undue weight gain. Recently, the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea randomised clinical trial of long-term nutrition intervention in subjects at high cardiovascular risk provided first-class evidence that regular nut consumption is associated with a 50 % reduction in incident diabetes and, more importantly, a 30 % reduction in CVD. Of note, incident stroke was reduced by nearly 50 % in participants allocated to a Mediterranean diet enriched with a daily serving of mixed nuts (15 g walnuts, 7·5 g almonds and 7·5 g hazelnuts). Thus, it is clear that frequent nut consumption has a beneficial effect on CVD risk that is likely to be mediated by salutary effects on intermediate risk factors.

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Women’s Cardiac Health in 2020: A Systematic Review

Journal of Cardiac Critical Care TSS ◽

10.1055/s-0040-1718503 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (02) ◽

pp. 104-110

Author(s):

Fabiola B. Sozzi ◽

Marta Belmonte ◽

Marco Schiavone ◽

Ciro Canetta ◽

Rakesh Gupta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Heart Disease ◽

Cardiovascular Health ◽

The Novel ◽

Cvd Risk ◽

Disease Manifestation ◽

Substantial Progress ◽

Diagnostic Approaches ◽

Traditional Risk Factors ◽

Gender Specific

AbstractAlthough substantial progress has been made toward improving gender- and sex-specific cardiovascular disease (CVD) management and outcomes, contemporary reports indicate a persistent knowledge gap with regard to optimal risk-stratification and management in female cardiac heart disease (CHD) patients. Prominent patient and system delays in diagnosing CHD are, in part, due to the limited awareness for the latent CVD risk in women, a lack of sex-specific thresholds within clinical guidelines, and subsequent limited performance of contemporary diagnostic approaches in women. Several traditional risk factors for CHD affect both women and men. But other factors can play a bigger role in the development of heart disease in women. In addition, little is known about the influence of socioenvironmental and contextual factors on gender-specific disease manifestation and outcomes. It is imperative that we understand the mechanisms that contribute to worsening risk factors profiles in young women to reduce future atherosclerotic CVD morbidity and mortality. This comprehensive review focuses on the novel aspects of cardiovascular health in women and sex differences as they relate to clinical practice and prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of CVD. Increased recognition of the prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and their differential impact in women, as well as emerging nontraditional risk factors unique to or more common in women, contribute to new understanding mechanisms, leading to worsening outcome for women.

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Specialized Pro-Resolving Lipid Mediators in Neonatal Cardiovascular Physiology and Diseases

Antioxidants ◽

10.3390/antiox10060933 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 933

Author(s):

Andrea Gila-Diaz ◽

Gloria Herranz Carrillo ◽

Pratibha Singh ◽

David Ramiro-Cortijo

Keyword(s):

Tissue Repair ◽

Cardiovascular Health ◽

Critical Role ◽

Potential Effect ◽

Lipid Mediators ◽

Physiological Effects ◽

Therapeutic Approaches ◽

The Impact ◽

Long Chain

Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Unresolved inflammation plays a critical role in cardiovascular diseases development. Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediators (SPMs), derived from long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs), enhances the host defense, by resolving the inflammation and tissue repair. In addition, SPMs also have anti-inflammatory properties. These physiological effects depend on the availability of LCPUFAs precursors and cellular metabolic balance. Most of the studies have focused on the impact of SPMs in adult cardiovascular health and diseases. In this review, we discuss LCPUFAs metabolism, SPMs, and their potential effect on cardiovascular health and diseases primarily focusing in neonates. A better understanding of the role of these SPMs in cardiovascular health and diseases in neonates could lead to the development of novel therapeutic approaches in cardiovascular dysfunction.

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Neighborhood Environment Associates with Trimethylamine-N-Oxide (TMAO) as a Cardiovascular Risk Marker

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18084296 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (8) ◽

pp. 4296

Author(s):

Nicole Farmer ◽

Cristhian A. Gutierrez-Huerta ◽

Briana S. Turner ◽

Valerie M. Mitchell ◽

Billy S. Collins ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

African American ◽

Dietary Intake ◽

Cvd Risk Factors ◽

Cvd Risk ◽

Neighborhood Deprivation ◽

Microbial Metabolite ◽

African American Adults ◽

Tnf Α ◽

The Relationship

Background: Neighborhoods and the microbiome are linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD), yet investigations to identify microbiome-related factors at neighborhood levels have not been widely investigated. We sought to explore relationships between neighborhood deprivation index (NDI) and the microbial metabolite, trimethylamine-N-oxide. We hypothesized that inflammatory markers and dietary intake would be mediators of the relationship. Methods: African-American adults at risk for CVD living in the Washington, DC area were recruited to participate in a cross-sectional community-based study. US census-based neighborhood deprivation index (NDI) measures (at the census-tract level) were determined. Serum samples were analyzed for CVD risk factors, cytokines, and the microbial metabolite, trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). Self-reported dietary intake based on food groups was collected. Results: Study participants (n = 60) were predominantly female (93.3%), with a mean (SD) age of 60.83 (+/−10.52) years. Mean (SD) NDI was −1.54 (2.94), and mean (SD) TMAO level was 4.99 (9.65) µmol/L. Adjusting for CVD risk factors and BMI, NDI was positively associated with TMAO (β = 0.31, p = 0.02). Using mediation analysis, the relationship between NDI and TMAO was significantly mediated by TNF-α (60.15%) and interleukin)-1 β (IL; 49.96%). When controlling for clustering within neighborhoods, the NDI-TMAO association was no longer significant (β = 5.11, p = 0.11). However, the association between NDI and IL-1 β (β = 0.04, p = 0.004) and TNF-α (β = 0.17, p = 0.003) remained. Neither NDI nor TMAO was significantly associated with daily dietary intake. Conclusion and Relevance: Among a small sample of African-American adults at risk for CVD, there was a significant positive relationship with NDI and TMAO mediated by inflammation. These hypothesis-generating results are initial and need to be confirmed in larger studies.

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Biomarker-estimated flavan-3-ol intake is associated with lower blood pressure in cross-sectional analysis in EPIC Norfolk

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-74863-7 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Javier I. Ottaviani ◽

Abigail Britten ◽

Debora Lucarelli ◽

Robert Luben ◽

Angela A. Mulligan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Systolic Blood Pressure ◽

Vascular Function ◽

Cardiovascular Health ◽

Vascular Diseases ◽

Inverse Association ◽

Cvd Risk ◽

Lower Systolic Blood Pressure ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Salt Reduction

Abstract Flavan-3-ols are a group of bioactive compounds that have been shown to improve vascular function in intervention studies. They are therefore of great interest for the development of dietary recommendation for the prevention of cardio-vascular diseases. However, there are currently no reliable data from observational studies, as the high variability in the flavan-3-ol content of food makes it difficult to estimate actual intake without nutritional biomarkers. In this study, we investigated cross-sectional associations between biomarker-estimated flavan-3-ol intake and blood pressure and other CVD risk markers, as well as longitudinal associations with CVD risk in 25,618 participants of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC) Norfolk cohort. High flavan-3-ol intake, achievable as part of an habitual diet, was associated with a significantly lower systolic blood pressure (− 1.9 (− 2.7; − 1.1) mmHg in men and − 2.5 (− 3.3; − 1.8) mmHg in women; lowest vs highest decile of biomarker), comparable to adherence to a Mediterranean Diet or moderate salt reduction. Subgroup analyses showed that hypertensive participants had stronger inverse association between flavan-3-ol biomarker and systolic blood pressure when compared to normotensive participants. Flavanol intake could therefore have a role in the maintenance of cardiovascular health on a population scale.

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