Heart disease remains the leading cause of death across the world, and one of the main reasons is a condition called atherosclerosis. This condition develops slowly over time when fatty material builds up inside the walls of the arteries.
Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from the heart to the rest of the body. When they become narrow or blocked, blood cannot flow properly, which can lead to serious problems such as heart attacks or strokes.
Atherosclerosis is closely linked to a condition known as dyslipidemia. This means there are unhealthy levels of fats in the blood, including cholesterol and triglycerides.
These fats are important for the body in small amounts, but when their levels are too high, they can start to stick to artery walls and form plaques. Studies show that nearly half of adults around the world have dyslipidemia, which greatly increases their risk of heart disease.
Doctors usually treat high blood fat levels with medications and lifestyle changes. These treatments can help lower cholesterol and make plaques more stable, reducing the chance that they will break and cause a heart attack.
However, current treatments cannot completely remove plaques that have already formed. Because of this, scientists have been searching for new ways to not just slow down the disease but actually reverse it.
Now, new research has brought an exciting possibility. Scientists have found that a common mineral called manganese may help reduce fat levels in the blood and even clear plaque from arteries.
Manganese is a nutrient that the body needs in very small amounts. It plays a role in many normal processes, such as helping enzymes work properly and supporting bone health. It is usually obtained through foods like nuts, grains, and leafy vegetables.
What surprised researchers is that when manganese is given in larger amounts, it appears to have a strong effect on how fats move in the body. Fats like cholesterol and triglycerides do not travel alone in the bloodstream.
Instead, they are carried by tiny particles called lipoproteins. These lipoproteins rely on a system inside cells known as COPII, which helps transport substances from one part of the cell to another and eventually into the bloodstream.
The researchers discovered that manganese can interact with this COPII system and change how it works. This affects how lipoproteins carry fats through the body. Interestingly, the effect of manganese is not simple.
It follows what scientists describe as a “bell-shaped” pattern. This means that at a certain level, manganese can lower blood fat levels, but too little or too much may not have the same benefit.
In experiments with mice that had atherosclerosis, manganese helped reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels and led to less plaque in their arteries. This suggests that manganese might not only slow down plaque buildup but could also help reverse it.
Dr. Xiao Wang, one of the lead researchers, described this finding as very promising. He explained that manganese could become a new way to prevent or treat heart disease in the future. However, he also stressed that more research is needed. Scientists still need to confirm that manganese is safe and effective for people, especially when used in higher amounts.
Even though this discovery is encouraging, it is important for people not to change their diet or take supplements without medical advice. Too much manganese can be harmful, so any future treatment would need to be carefully controlled.
For now, the best way to protect heart health remains the same. People should aim to eat a balanced diet, stay physically active, and manage their cholesterol levels. These steps are still the most reliable way to reduce the risk of heart disease.
This research adds to growing efforts to better understand heart disease and find new treatments. In the future, simple and affordable approaches like this could make a big difference in preventing and managing one of the world’s most common health problems.
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The findings were published in the journal Life Metabolism.
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