Research Digest: Summer BBQ under heat, novel performance blend for athletes

23 Mar 2018 --- NutritionInsight’s weekly roundup of research has identified two significant studies on heart health which pinpoint some popular accompaniments of a summer barbeque: soft drinks and barbequed meat. Firstly, it has been indicated that sugary drink ingestion may have implications on cardiovascular health and mortality in those over the age of 45, and cooking meat at high temperatures could have consequences on high blood pressure and other ailments. A new patent-pending product, Setria performance blend, has been released, with the aim of improving athletics nitric oxide bioavailability.

Sugary drinks may double the risk of mortality
A double risk of coronary heart disease was found for those in the top 25 percent of consumers ingesting high levels of sugary drinks, against those in the lowest 25 percent of peoples. The study, published by the American Heart Association, found that those in the top 25 percent drank 24 ounces or more of sugary beverages, while the lower percent drank less than 1 ounce. The beverages in the study included soft drinks, fruit drinks and juices. The longitudinal study of six years involved 30,183 participants over the age of 45.

There was an increased risk of death from all causes, including other cardiovascular conditions. The study, however, found no link between the consumption of sugary foods and increased risk of death, a distinction the researchers said may be related to how sugary drinks and foods are processed by the body. Several studies have shown an association between added sugar and obesity and various chronic diseases. However, few have been able to look at the association between increased sugar consumption and death. It is important to note that this study does not prove cause and effect, rather it identifies a trend.

Researchers state that this study adds to the important lifestyle message of reducing sugary beverages in our diet, and should encourage healthcare providers to engage with questions about sugary beverage consumption with patients, as a method to reduce health risks.

Flame-licked meats may increase blood pressure levels
Further, in heart health, it has been claimed that high-temperature cooking processes, such as grilling, of beef, poultry or fish, may raise the risk of high blood pressure in regular meat-eaters. The study, also published by the American Heart Association, showed variations in where the highest risk of developing high blood pressure lay: 17 percent higher for those who cooked meat at high temperatures more than 15 times a month, 15 percent higher for those who preferred well cooked meat, 17 percent higher in those who ingested charred meats. 

The study utilized data from three separate studies, involving thousands of participants, where detailed cooking information was collected. None of the

participants had high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease or cancer during enrollment but 37, 123 developed high blood pressure during an average follow up of 12 to 16 years. Lead author of the study, Gang Liu, Ph.D., stated that this research indicates that one can reduce high blood pressure risk by limiting foods cooking using high-temperature methods, including barbequing and broiling. The study, however, did not examine all cooking types and omitted some kinds of meat. Therefore, further research is needed, Liu added.

Athletic performance could be enhanced with further nitric oxide bioavailability
Further in the weekly digest is a study holding implications for athletes. Setria performance blend may increase nitric oxide bioavailability in athletes and intense sporting individuals, which in turn could come with substantial benefits, the study claims. The Setria product contains a “novel” blend of L-citrulline and glutathione which could sustain the biological effects of nitric oxide. The biological effects of nitric oxide on athletes include vasodilation, skeletal muscle metabolism, and force production during exercise. Overall, the researchers state that Setria performance blend may enhance the synthesis, bioavailability, and bio-efficacy of nitric oxide for athletes.

The Setria performance blend is a new, patent-pending product on the market, manufactured by Kyowa Hakko Bio.

By Laxmi Haigh