Eating nuts may reduce cholesterol

Previous studies have shown that nut consumption reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, a new systematic review published in the May 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine found that diets rich in nuts were associated with reduced total cholesterol and bad cholesterol.


Researchers pooled data from 25 trials conducted in 7 countries that compared a control group to an experimental group assigned to consume nuts. An average of 67 grams of nuts per day were consumed over 3 to 8 weeks, they found that total cholesterol was reduced by 5.1% and bad cholesterol by 7.4%, but there was a lesser effect on reducing the cholesterol levels of people with higher BMIs.


Critics noted that the overall population of the studies was relatively small, the study results might have been affected by the different diets used in different studies. The experimental diet lasted only 3 to 8 weeks long, so it is not clear what effect it would have over the longer term. It is also unclear whether the reductions in cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol would be enough to lower the risk of coronary heart disease. Although nuts may reduce cholesterol, they are high in saturated fats and should be eaten in moderation.


Source: "Nut Consumption and Blood Lipid Levels - A Pooled Analysis of 25 Intervention Trials". Arch Intern Med. 2010;170(9):821-827. ( f/t via Athens)

Vegan diet can help arthritis sufferers

A Swedish study found people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) could cut their risk of heart attacks and strokes by excluding meat, dairy products and gluten from their diets.

Some 66 RA sufferers were assigned at random to either a vegan diet that was free of gluten or a well-balanced non-vegan diet for a year. The result showed that the vegan group had lower body mass index and levels of bad cholesterol than the non-vegan group. Levels of antibodies associated with protection against cardiovascular disease was also increased in the vegan group.

Some limitations of the trial - the sample size was very small and almost half of the people assigned to the gluten-free vegan diet dropped out of the study before one year elapsed.

Source: "Gluten-free vegan diet induces decreased LDL and oxidized LDL levels and raised atheroprotective natural antibodies against phosphorylcholine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized study" Arthritis Research & Therapy 2008 (free open access)

Tomato ketchup reduces cholesterol levels

21 healthy people with normal cholesterol levels were selected by Finnish scientists for a study and were given a 3- week no tomato products diet followed by a 3-week high tomato diet including 400 ml tomato juice and 30 mg tomato ketchup daily.

The study found that a high dietary intake of tomato products significantly reduced LDL cholesterol levels and increased LDL resistance to oxidation in three weeks. However larger controlled studies are required to establish the clinical benefits in people with elevated cholesterol levels.

Source : "Tomato juice decreases LDL cholesterol levels and increases LDL resistance to oxidation" British Journal of Nutrition (6 December 2007), 98:1251-1258

Extended benefits of statin therapy

A 15-year Glasgow study showed that patients who had been taking pravastatin for 5 years were still experiencing the benefits 10 years after they stopped taking the drug, with a significant reduced risk of heart attacks and other coronary events.


The extended benefits may be due to the lowering LDL cholesterol by early statin therapy and stabilizing existing plague therefore slowing the progress of coronary heart disease.


Source : "Long-Term Follow-up of the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study". NEJM 2007; 357(15):1477-1486 (October 11)

Early testing for familial cholesterol

According to a BMJ study, based on a review of 13 studies, the researchers suggested that children could be screened at about 15 months of age for familial high cholesterol because the disorder is often inherited.

If children are tested positive for high cholesterol, doctors would screen the parents and drug treatment could begin immediately for the adults.

Full text of the article "Child-parent screening for familial hypercholesterolaemia: screening strategy based on a meta-analysis". BMJ 2007;335(7620):599 is available with an Athens password at the HILO website.

Obesity drug Rimonabant questioned

Rimonabant (Acomplia) by Sanofi-Aventis, was licensed for use in the UK since June 2006 for the treatment of obesity.


However, adverts have claimed the drug can cut levels of potentially harmful cholesterol, fats and sugars in the blood to a greater extent than would be expected by weight loss alone. In theory, this should help to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

A report published in The Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB) on 30 May 2007 said there was no proof that the drug had any beneficial effects outside those expected by weight loss. The drug had not been effectively compared with other less expensive drug treatment for obesity.

The DTB authors said Orlistat (Xenical), costs less and approved for use in the NHS is the drug for obesity with the most evidence for efficacy and safety to date, and they have previously concluded that it is a reasonable option for obese patients where diet and exercise and/or behavioural measures alone have failed.