Metabolites are small molecules found in our body’s cells.
They come from the food we eat, chemical processes happening within our bodies and microbes.
In a new study, researchers found that 10 metabolites detected in the blood are linked to a person’s risk of stroke.
The strongest association was found with the amino acid histidine. Histidine comes from protein sources like meat, eggs, dairy and grains.
It is an essential amino acid that helps maintain life.
The research was conducted by a team at Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam.
Metabolites are products of a cell’s regulatory process. They include lipids, fatty acids, amino acids, and carbohydrates.
Levels of these small molecules can change in response to various factors like disease, genetics, or the environment, and can be indicators of cell health, heart health, and even overall health.
In the study, the team reviewed seven studies and identified 38,797 people who did not have a stroke at the start of the study.
Blood samples were analyzed with nuclear magnetic resonance technology, which uses magnetic fields, to examine the levels of 147 metabolites.
Researchers then determined how many people had a stroke from two years later to up to 15 years later, depending on the study.
A total of 1,791 people had a stroke during the follow-up period. Researchers found 10 metabolites were associated with the risk of stroke.
Researchers found histidine was linked to a lower risk of ischemic stroke, a stroke caused by a blockage in a blood vessel, such as a blood clot.
The team says histidine can be converted to histamine, which has been shown to have a strong effect on the dilation of the blood vessels.
It also functions as a neurotransmitter in the brain and has been shown in some studies to reduce blood pressure and inflammation, so this finding is not surprising.
Researchers also found the high-density lipoprotein cholesterols, HDL and HDL2, considered good cholesterols, were linked to a lower risk of ischemic stroke.
People can improve their levels of good cholesterol by getting more exercise, losing weight, and replacing bad fats with healthier fats from foods like fish, nuts, olives, and avocados.
Low-density lipoprotein cholesterols, or bad cholesterols, as well as triglycerides were linked to a higher risk of stroke.
A metabolite called pyruvate, which is produced when cells break down glucose, increased a person’s risk of stroke.
These findings provide new insights into how the risk of stroke may be affected on the molecular level.
The team says future studies are needed to examine the biological mechanisms underlying these associations between metabolites and risk of stroke.
One author of the study is Dina Vojinovic, Ph.D.
The study is published in Neurology.
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