Thursday, March 15, 2007

HIGH FIBRE DIET AND hs CRP

There has been much work, on the role of hsCRP and inflammation in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. In fact, many of us think that atherosclerosis maybe an inflammatory disease. LDL-cholesterol seems to play a vital role. It is possible that LDL-cholesterol itself is the initiator of inflammation in the arterial wall. Measurement of hsCRP is now commercially available.



In this light, the latest issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, contains a small study by Dr Dana King and group from the Medical University of South Carolina, on hs CRP lowering by those taking a high fibre diet. They studied 28 females and 7 males, on high fibre diet and showed that all those on high fibre diet, had lower hsCRP, not a huge reduction but nonetheless, a significant reduction, when compared to those on normal diet. The subjects were their own control, as they were given cross over diet after 3 weeks on each form of diet. What was surprising was that the obese subjects, had almost no significant reduction. Maybe, three weeks was not enough time. It would have been good if obese individuals on high fibre diet, had lower hsCRP because, the lower hsCRP will reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, in this CAD risk group. Nonetheless, it is good to know that high fibre diet, is good for the heart, besides all the other benefits of high fibre diet. Another benefit of high fibre diet.





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