title: Dietary protein, but not carbohydrate, is a primary determinant of the onset of stroke in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previously, an inverse association has been found between the dietary proportion of protein or fat and incidence of intracerebral hemorrhage. A positive association has been found with respect to carbohydrate intake. To examine what changes in macronutrient intake are causative, animal studies were conducted.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) were fed diets with varying ratios of macronutrients ad libitum, and the onset of stroke was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When 10% of calories were from fat, rats fed a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet (55% calories from protein) had a delayed onset of stroke, whereas rats fed a low-protein/high-carbohydrate diet (5% calories from protein) had an accelerated onset of stroke. When 30% of calories were from carbohydrate, a marked delay in the onset of stroke was observed when the diet was high in protein. When 85% of calories were from carbohydrate, rats fed 7.5% of calories as protein displayed an accelerated onset of stroke. When 20% of calories were from protein, increased fat content did not affect the onset of stroke. However, with a fat-free diet, when 20% of calories were from protein, the onset of stroke was delayed, whereas when 10% of calories were from protein, the onset of stroke was accelerated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The amount of protein, but not of carbohydrate and fat, is a primary determinant of the onset of stroke. However, when calories from protein are relatively low in the diet (10%), fat is necessary to delay the onset of stroke in SHRSP.
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Science Program, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8636, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chiba
authors.forename: Tatsuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tabuchi
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Satou
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ezaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004044:Dietary Proteins