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Diet affects hormone that may protect heart
By Merritt McKinney
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Moderate drinking may boost levels
of adiponectin -- a substance secreted by fat tissue that seems
to affect how well the body responds to the sugar-processing hormone
insulin -- according to the results of a study released last week.
But the study also found that a diet rich in processed carbohydrates
was related to lower levels of adiponectin.
Recent studies suggest that low blood levels of adiponectin may
be related to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and coronary
heart disease, according to the study's lead author, Dr. Tobias
Pischon of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.
The results of the new study suggest that adiponectin may play
a role in how a person's diet affects heart disease risk, according
to Pischon and his colleagues.
But Pischon cautioned that the results need to be confirmed by
studies that evaluate the effect of dietary changes on adiponectin
levels. It will also be important to see whether changes in adiponectin
levels explain the relationship between diet and the risk of heart
disease, according to the Harvard researcher.
It is well known that diet plays an important role in the risk
of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. For instance, diets high in
processed carbohydrates may increase the risk of heart disease,
while moderate alcohol consumption has been linked to a reduced
risk.
Previous research has suggested that adiponectin affects how well
the body responds to the sugar-processing hormone insulin. People
who are obese or who have type 2 diabetes tend to have reduced levels
of the hormone, according to Pischon.
Based on preliminary research showing a protective effect of high
adiponectin levels, Pischon's team set out to see if the hormone
has an effect on the relationship between diet and health risk.
In a study of 532 men, researchers found that adiponectin levels
were related to consumption of alcohol, carbohydrates and fat.
With drinking, moderation seemed to be the key to boosting adiponectin
levels, as moderate drinkers had the highest levels of the hormone.
Teetotalers and heavy drinkers both tended to have lower levels
of adiponectin.
The study also found that the more fat people ate, the higher was
their level of adiponectin.
But consumption of carbohydrates, or at least certain types of
carbohydrates, was related to lower levels of adiponectin. The researchers
found that carbohydrates with a high glycemic load were associated
with reduced levels of adiponectin.
Not all carbohydrates have the same effect on blood glucose. High-glycemic
foods, including breads, doughnuts, cakes, crackers and candy, substantially
boost blood sugar levels.
The importance of glycemic levels is controversial. Nonetheless,
Pischon told Reuters Health, "Our study indicates that a diet
with a high glycemic load - lots of processed carbohydrates - is
associated with lower adiponectin levels, which may reflect the
detrimental association of this diet with cardiovascular health."
But he cautioned that more research is needed to know for sure
whether low adiponectin levels truly increase the risk of type 2
diabetes and heart disease.
The current report was presented on Friday during the American
Heart Association's 44th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease
Epidemiology and Prevention in San Francisco.
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