Middle-aged men who eat higher amounts of protein have a slightly elevated risk for heart failure (HF) than those who eat less protein, according to a new study published in Circulation: Heart Failure on May 29. There is a limited amount of information regarding how diets high in protein impact men’s HF risk.
“As many people seem to take the health benefits of high-protein diets for granted, it is important to make clear the possible risks and benefits of these diets,” said lead author Jyrki Virtanen, PhD, of the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio, in a statement. “Earlier studies had linked diets high in protein – especially from animal sources -- with increased risks of type 2 diabetes and even death.”
The study cohort included more than 2,400 men aged 42 to 60. The researchers sought to examine the associations of proteins from different food sources (i.e. plant-based, animal-based, dairy) and their impact on the risk of HF in men.
Protein intakes at baseline were assessed with 4-day dietary records. The researchers obtained data on HF cases from a national registry.
There were 334 heart failure cases during the average follow-up of slightly more than 22 years. A higher protein intake was associated with an increased risk of HF. They found 70 percent of the protein consumed was from animal-based sources and approximately 28 percent was from plant-based sources.
The researchers divided the cohort into four groups based on their daily protein consumption. They compared men who ate the most amount of protein to those who ate the least.
- Men who ate all sources of protein had a 33 percent higher risk of HF.
- Men who ate mostly animal-based protein had a 43 percent higher risk of HF.
- Men who ate mostly dairy-based protein had a 49 percent higher risk of HF.
- Men who ate mostly plant-based protein had a 17 percent higher risk of HF.
This is one of the first studies which reports on the association between dietary protein and heart failure risk; however, the authors noted additional research is needed to determine whether moderation in protein intake will be beneficial in preventing HF. Proteins from fish and eggs were not included as part of the research.
Increased protein intake could mean an increase in life
While the aforementioned study states higher protein consumption is related to a slightly higher risk of heart failure, new research presented on May 27 at Heart Failure 2018 and the World Congress on Acute Heart Failure, suggests heart failure patients who consume more protein live longer.
“We observed that in patients with heart failure, a higher protein intake is independently associated with better survival,” said researchers and PhD candidate Koen Streng of the University Medical Centre Groningen in the Netherlands. “The study did not look at causes for this link, but it is likely that dietary protein builds muscle mass which is beneficial for health in these patients.”
Streng’s study investigated the association between protein consumption and HF survival. The study cohort consisted of more than 2,200 patients with heart failure. Daily protein intake was estimated from urine. The patients were divided into four groups by how much protein they consumed.
Their average protein intake was 53 grams per day and ranged from 40 to 70 grams. At the end of the follow up period of around 21 months, the researchers found 31 percent of patients who consumed 40 grams or less per day had died compared to 18 percent of patients who consumed 70 grams or more per day.
The researchers found patients who consumed 40 grams or less had a 46 percent higher risk of death than those who consumed 70 grams or more.
Streng believes a randomized controlled trial is still needed to determine a recommended amount of daily protein intake for patients with HF.
As a senior news writer for TriMed, Subrata covers cardiology, clinical innovation and healthcare business. She has a master’s degree in communication management and 12 years of experience in journalism and public relations.