Lowering risk factors for heart diseases by dietary approaches.
A consensus exists that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables is beneficial for health in preventing coronary heart disease and some forms of cancer. The nutrients responsible for the protective action are not known, but vitamins, antioxidants and flavonoids are among the likely candidates. Dietary supplements are generally used to increase plasma levels of these compounds. However, similar results can be achieved also by increasing the proportion of vegetables and fruit in the diet. For example, in recent studies a diet rich in fruit and vegetables increased plasma folate resulting in a significant reduction in plasma homocysteine, a probable risk factor for coronary heart disease. Large placebo-controlled studies using single antioxidants or combinations to prevent coronary heart disease have not shown antioxidant supplementation to be beneficial, but sometimes rather harmful, as exemplified by beta-carotene in smoking men. On the other hand, treatment of heart diseases with whole diets has been successful.
Alfthan
Georg
G
Biomarker Laboratory, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland. georg.alfthan@ktl.fi
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000975:Antioxidants; D014815:Vitamins