Eating foods high in certain amino acids can be as beneficial to heart health as quitting smoking or increasing physical activity, researchers at the University of East Anglia at Norwich say. Their conclusions are published in the Journal of Nutrition.
The analysis covered the effect of seven amino acids (arginine, cysteine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, leucine and tyrosine) on the health of the cardiovascular system of almost 2. women with a normal body mass index (BMI). The data came from the TwinsUK database, the largest British registry collecting information on 12. twins.
The women who consumed the most amino acids had lower blood pressure and less arterial stiffness than those who consumed the least. The source of amino acids also turned out to be important. Those of plant origin were associated with lower blood pressure and those of animal origin were associated with lower arterial stiffness.
“The surprising finding was that amino acid intake had a similar effect on blood pressure as known environmental risk factors such as salt intake, exercise and alcohol consumption. The effect on arterial stiffness was, in turn, similar to the changes occurring after quitting smoking »- comments the author of the study, Dr. Amy Jennings.