Study finds lifestyle factors that could harden arteries

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-05/uog-sfl050619.php

News Release 6-May-2019
University of Georgia

A new study from the University of Georgia pinpoints lifestyle factors that could lead to hardened arteries.

One of the largest of its kind, the study performed an untargeted metabolomics profile of over 1,200 participants of the Bogalusa Heart Study to identify metabolites linked to the hardening of arteries.

Hardening arteries, or arterial stiffness, is an independent risk factor for heart disease and death, and the mechanisms that contribute to arterial stiffening are not well understood.

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"We were able to identify some environmental and lifestyle related-metabolites, build metabolite networks to shown how the body reacts to the environmental exposures, and more importantly, tested the effect of those metabolites on arterial stiffness," said Li.

The majority of these were associated with other known risk factors of arterial stiffness like high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes.

But some of these metabolites are food additives and cooking ingredients found in many U.S. kitchens.

For example, the team identified two peptides - gamma-glutamylvaline and gamma-glutamylisoleucine - that are commonly used to enhance the savory taste of chicken broth.

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