Scientists from Penn State University found eating too much food containing sulfur amino acids – primarily found in proteins such as beef, chicken, and dairy – may increase a person’s risk of heart disease and death.
The research was presented at Epidemiology and Prevention, Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health conference and was conducted by Laila Al-Shaar et al.
Sulfur amino acids are essential for metabolism and overall health, but the average person in the United States consumes far more than needed – as much as two and a half times the estimated average requirement.
This may provide part of the reason why people who consume diets that emphasize healthy plant foods have lower rates of heart disease than those who eat large amounts of meat and dairy foods.
In the study, the team analyzed data from 120,699 people in two long-term national studies, the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study.
Participants completed detailed health questionnaires, including questions about their diets, every two to four years.
On average, participants ate more than twice the recommended daily amount of sulfur amino acids, mostly from beef, chicken, and milk.
The researchers found that those who consumed the most sulfur amino acids had a 12% increased risk of developing heart disease and a 28% increased risk of dying from the condition compared to those who ate the least.
A previous study linked higher consumption of sulfur amino acids to higher cardiometabolic disease risk.
This research builds on that work, with the advantage of using long-term diet data assessed by repeated food frequency questionnaires and health outcome data.
The team says people can get their estimated average requirement of sulfur amino acids – 15 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day – through plant-based sources or fish.
For a 150-pound adult, for instance, that would mean 1 cup of tofu and 1 cup of lentils a day. It can be also met by consuming a 3-ounce fillet of tuna.
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