Review finds Fiber Beneficial against Cardiovascular Disease

by | Feb 13, 2014 | 2013, Cardiovascular Health, Fiber

Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. In a review of 17 studies, research shows that consumption of 7 grams of fiber per day can reduce the risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease by 9%.

Cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke, are the first and third leading causes of death for both men and women in the U.S. They account for 1 in 3 of all U.S. deaths and cost our healthcare system $473 billion in 2009. If all major types of cardiovascular disease were eliminated, U.S. life expectancy would increase by nearly 7 years (1).

For more than 30 years, fiber’s protective role against cardiovascular disease has been studied (2), including its effect on total cardiovascular disease risk as well as individual risk factors such as high blood pressure, central obesity, insulin sensitivity, and cholesterol levels (3, 4). Now a new review of this literature (5) has confirmed fiber’s protective role against cardiovascular disease.

In the review, the researchers identified 17 cohort studies examining the role of fiber in the onset of cardiovascular disease. Overall, they found that every 7-gram increment of fiber consumed per day decreased the risk of both cardiovascular disease and heart disease by 9%. A 2002 study (6) found a 22% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease with the highest intake of insoluble fiber (21.8 grams per day) versus the lowest (9.5 grams per day) (p = 0.09) and an 18% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease with 6 grams of fruit fiber consumed per day compared to 2.5 grams per day (p = 0.09).

In a 2010 study (7), Japanese men with the highest total fiber intake (more than 12.6 grams per day) had a 19% reduced risk of coronary heart disease compared to those with the lowest intake (less than 7.8 grams per day) (p = 0.022) and women with the highest total fiber intake (more than 12.7 grams per day) had a 20% reduced risk of coronary heart disease compared to those with the lowest intake (less than 8.5 grams per day) (p = 0.014).

This 9% reduced risk with only 7 grams of additional fiber intake “could affect thousands of individuals” as “eating just one portion of whole grains plus a portion of beans or lentils, or two to four servings of fruit and vegetables” (8) is sufficient to provide those extra 7 grams of fiber per day. 

For the researchers, “Greater dietary fiber intake is associated with a lower risk of both cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease” and that “these findings are aligned with general recommendations to increase fiber intake.”

Source: Threapleton, Diane E., et al. “Dietary fibre intake and risk of cardiovascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis.” Bmj 347 (2013): f6879.

© Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 3.0) license, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/

Posted February 13, 2014.

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com

References:

  1. “Cardiovascular Disease at a Glance” posted on the CDC website.
  2. Trowell H. Ischemic heart disease and dietary fiber. Am J Clin Nutr 1972;25:926-32.
  3. Truswell AS. Cereal grains and coronary heart disease. Eur J Clin Nutr 2002;56:1-14.
  4. Van Horn L, McCoin M, Kris-Etherton PM, Burke F, Carson JA, Champagne CM, et al. The evidence for dietary prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. J Am Diet Assoc 2008;108:287-331.
  5. Threapleton DE.  Dietary fibre intake and risk of cardiovascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis BMJ. 2013 Dec 19;347:f6879. doi: 10.1136/bmj.f6879.
  6. Liu S, Buring JE, Sesso HD, Rimm EB, Willett WC, Manson JE. A prospective study of dietary fiber intake and risk of cardiovascular disease among women. J Am Coll Cardiol 2002;39:49-56.
  7. Eshak ES, Iso H, Date C, Kikuchi S, Watanabe Y, Wada Y, et al. Dietary fiber intake is associated with reduced risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease among Japanese men and women. J Nutr 2010;140:1445-53.
  8. Lunn J, Buttriss JL. Carbohydrates and dietary fibre. Nutr Bull 2007;32:21-64.