ESHA Research
Epidemiological Study Finds Vegetarians Have Healthier Biomarker Profiles than Meat-Eaters
This trend applied to adults of any age and weight, which was unaffected by smoking and alcohol consumption, according to data from over 177,000 U.K. adults.
Mike Montemarano, Associate Editor 05.18.21
According to a large-scale study examining the health outcomes of 177,000 UK adults, vegetarians, are more likely to have a healthier profile of various health biomarkers than people who eat meat, and the health advantages seen in vegetarianism were independent of smoking and alcohol consumption, according to the University of Glasgow researchers. However, some limitations existed,, such as a lack of accounting for existing diseases or a number of unmeasured lifestyle factors. The findings, available in abstract form were presented at the European Congress on Obesity.
In total, there were 4,111 participants categorized as vegetarian (do not eat red meat, poultry, or fish) and 166,516 participants who ate meat, according to their self-reported diet, and all of these subjects participated in the UK Biobank. The researchers compared these broad dietary patterns, in their relation to 19 blood and urine biomarkers related to diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, liver, bone and joint health, and kidney function.
After accounting for potentially influential factors including age, sex, education, ethnicity, obesity, smoking, and alcohol intake, the analysis found that compared to meat-eaters, vegetarians had significantly lower levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, apolipoproteins A and B (linked to cardiovascular disease), GGT and AST (liver function markers indicating inflammation or damage to cells), IGF-1 (a hormone that influences the growth of cancer cells), urate, total protein, and creatinine (a marker of worsening kidney function).
On the contrary, vegetarians had lower levels of beneficial biomarkers, including HDL cholesterol, vitamin D, and calcium. They had signficantly higher levels of triglycerides, and cystatin-C, which is suggestive of poorer kidney condition.
No effect was found for blood sugar levels, systolic blood pressure, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), or C-reactive protein.
"Our findings offer real food for thought," Dr. Carlos Celis-Morales, lead researcher, said. "As well as not eating red and processed meat which have been linked to heart diseases and some cancers, people who follow a vegetarian diet tend to consume more vegetables, fruits, and nuts which contain more nutrients, fiber, and other potentially beneficial compounds. These nutritional differences may help explain why vegetarians appear to have lower levels of disease biomarkers that can lead to cell damage and chronic disease."
Mike Montemarano has been the Associate Editor of Nutraceuticals World since February 2020. He can be reached at mmontemarano@rodmanmedia.com.
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