Could animal protein-induced increases in the cancer-promoting growth hormone IGF-1 help promote cerebral artery integrity?
In 2014, a study on stroke risk and dietary protein found that higher intake was associated with a lower risk of stroke, and furthermore, that animal protein appeared to be especially protective. Could that help explain why, as shown in the graph below and at 0:31 in my video? Vegetarians and stroke risk factors: Animal protein?Vegetarians were recently found Have a higher heart rate than carnivores?
Animal protein consumption increases levels of a cancer-promoting growth hormone in the body, known as IGF-1, insulin-like growth factor 1, which “accelerate the progression of precancerous changes to invasive lesions.” High blood concentrations are associated with increased risks of breast, colorectal, lung and prostate cancer, potentially explaining For example, the association between cow’s milk consumption and the risk of prostate cancer. However, are There are also IGF-1 receptors in blood vessels, so perhaps IGF-1 promotes cancer and the integrity of brain arteries.
People who suffer a stroke seem to… have lower levels of IGF-1 in the blood, but this could simply be a consequence of the stroke rather than the cause. There were no prospective studies over time until 2017, when researchers found that, in fact, higher levels of IGF-1 were linked to a lower risk of stroke, but is it cause and effect? In mice, the answer seems to lie in be Yes, and in a petri dish, IGF-1 appears to… increase The production of elastin, an elastic protein that helps keep our arteries elastic. As you can see in the graph below and at minute 1:41 of my videoThe highest levels of IGF-1 are associated with less arterial stiffness, but people with acromegaly, like Andre the Giant, those with excessive levels of growth hormones like IGF-1, do not appear have lower stroke rates, and a more recent study on dietary protein intake and stroke risk found looked in a dozen studies of more than half a million people (compared (just seven studies with a quarter of a million in the previous analysis), found There is no association between dietary protein intake and stroke risk. However, dietary intake of plant protein may reduce the risk of stroke.
However, those people with high blood pressure who have Low levels of IGF-1 appear to be associated with an increased risk of developing atherosclerosis, which is the thickening of the walls of the arteries leading to the brain, but no such association was found in people with normal blood pressure. be “A cautionary lesson for vegans” here. Yes, a whole-foods, plant-based diet “can regular downwards “IGF-1 activity” may slow the human aging process, not to mention reduce the risk of some of the most common cancers plaguing the Western world. But, “perhaps the lesson to be learned is that people who commit to down-regulating IGF-1 activity [by cutting down on animal protein intake] As a pro-longevity measure, they must take special care to control their blood pressure and preserve their cerebrovascular health. [the health of the arteries in their brain] – in particular, they should keep salt intake relatively low while ensuring an abundant intake of potassium” to keep their blood pressure down. This means avoiding processed foods and added salt and, in terms of potassium-rich foods, eating beans, sweet potatoes, and dark green leafy vegetables.
Could this explain the higher risk of stroke found among vegetarians? No, because dairy and egg whites are Also animal proteins. Only vegans have lower levels of IGF-1 in both men and women, so low levels of IGF-1 cannot explain Why were higher rates of stroke found in vegetarians? So what is the reason? I think the best explanation for the mystery is something called homocysteine, which I’ll discuss next.
If you are not familiar with IGF-1, my videos Flashback Friday: Comparing animal protein and smoking and How not to die of cancer They are good primers.
Besides following a plant-based diet, how else can we lower our blood pressure? Check out the chapter on hypertension in my book How not to die at your local public library.
This is the eighth video in a 12-part series on stroke risk in vegetarians. If you missed any of the previous videos, check out the related posts below.
Next, let’s focus on what I think is really happening:
