Heart disease remains the leading cause of death around the world. Every year, millions of people die from heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular problems.
One of the main reasons heart disease develops is a condition called atherosclerosis. This condition occurs when fatty deposits, known as plaques, slowly build up inside the walls of arteries.
Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. When plaque accumulates, the arteries become narrower and stiffer. This makes it harder for blood to flow properly.
Even more dangerous, a plaque can suddenly break open and trigger a blood clot. If the clot blocks blood flow to the heart, it can cause a heart attack. If it blocks blood flow to the brain, it can cause a stroke.
A major risk factor for atherosclerosis is dyslipidemia, a condition in which people have unhealthy levels of fats in their blood. This often includes high cholesterol and high triglycerides.
Dyslipidemia is extremely common and affects nearly half of all adults. Because these unhealthy fats contribute to plaque formation, doctors often prescribe medications to lower cholesterol levels and reduce cardiovascular risk.
Although current medications can lower blood fat levels and help stabilize existing plaques, they generally do not remove plaque deposits that have already formed inside arteries. For this reason, scientists continue searching for new approaches that could directly reduce plaque buildup.
Now, researchers have uncovered an unexpected possibility. Two new studies suggest that manganese, a mineral that the body needs in very small amounts, may help lower blood fat levels and even reduce plaque accumulation in arteries. The findings were published in the journal Life Metabolism.
Manganese is an essential nutrient that plays many important roles in the body. It helps support bone health and assists enzymes that carry out numerous chemical reactions inside cells. Most people obtain small amounts of manganese through foods such as nuts, whole grains, legumes, leafy vegetables, and tea.
The new findings surprised researchers because manganese had not previously been considered a potential treatment for cardiovascular disease. In the studies, scientists discovered that manganese influenced how fats move throughout the bloodstream.
Cholesterol and triglycerides do not travel freely in blood. Instead, they are transported by tiny particles called lipoproteins. These particles rely on a cellular transport system known as COPII, which helps package and move fats around the body.
The researchers found that manganese can bind to the COPII system and alter how it functions.
At certain doses, manganese significantly reduced blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. Scientists described the response as a bell-shaped effect, meaning that the benefits appeared strongest within a specific dose range rather than simply increasing with higher amounts.
In laboratory mice with heart disease, the effects were particularly striking. The reductions in blood fat levels were accompanied by substantial decreases in plaque buildup inside arteries. These findings suggest that manganese may influence one of the key processes that contribute to cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Xiao Wang, who led the research, said the discovery opens an exciting new area of investigation. He believes manganese-based treatments could eventually become a new strategy for preventing or treating heart disease.
However, the researchers emphasize that the studies are still in their early stages. The experiments were performed primarily in laboratory models, and much more research is needed before scientists can determine whether manganese supplementation is safe and effective in people.
The appropriate dose, long-term safety, and possible side effects also remain unknown.
The findings should not encourage people to start taking high-dose manganese supplements on their own. Although manganese is essential for health, consuming too much can be harmful and may affect the nervous system.
Even so, the research provides a promising glimpse into a possible new approach for fighting cardiovascular disease. If future human studies confirm these findings, manganese-based therapies could potentially offer an inexpensive and accessible way to lower unhealthy blood fats and reduce plaque buildup.
For now, experts continue to recommend proven strategies for protecting heart health. Eating a balanced diet, staying physically active, maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, and managing blood pressure remain some of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of heart disease.
The new manganese research highlights how much scientists still have to learn about the body’s complex chemistry and offers hope that even small nutrients may one day play a major role in preventing some of the world’s deadliest diseases.
If you care about heart disease, please read studies that herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm, and how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies that apple juice could benefit your heart health, and results showing yogurt may help lower the death risks in heart disease.
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