High-Protein Diet May Raise Heart Failure Risk For Older Women

Heart failure occurs when the heart is no longer able to pump enough oxygen-rich blood around the body to support other organs.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 5.7 millionAmerican adults have heart failure, and in 2009, heart failure contributed to around 1 in 9 deaths in the United States.

A diet high in fat, cholesterol, and sodium is known to raise the risk of heart failure, but according to study co-author Dr. Mohamad Firas Barbour, of Brown University Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, and colleagues, a diet high in protein may be just as harmful.

The researchers recently presented their findings at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2016, held in New Orleans, LA.

Protein is found in foods such as meat, poultry, dairy products, seafood, beans, peas, and nuts, and it is considered essential for healthy bones, muscles, and skin.

While some studies have suggested a diet high in protein may aid weight loss by suppressing appetite, other research has cited the downfalls of a high-protein diet.

A 2014 study published in the journal Cell Metabolism, for example, suggested a link between a high-protein diet and greater risk of cancer, diabetes, and all-cause mortality.

Such studies claim animal-derived proteins are more to blame for negative health implications than plant-derived proteins, and the new research is no exception.

Source: MEDNEWSTODAY