Fermented Dairy Products may Prevent Heart Attacks and Stroke

Yogurt

A study by researchers from the University of Eastern Finland claims that eating fermented dairy products like yogurt may prevent heart attacks and strokes. The study was published October 29, 2018, in the British Journal of Nutrition.

The Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease risk Factor Study at the University of Eastern Finland

The participants were 1981 men ages 42-60 who had no medical history of heart disease when they enrolled in the study. They were followed for about 20 years and during this follow-up period, there were 472 heart events, but those men who ate fermented dairy products showed a lower risk for heart disease and attacks. However, men who consumed non-fermented dairy products like milk in large amounts had a higher risk for coronary heart attacks.

Fermented Dairy Products Consumed by Participants in the Study

The fermented dairy product that was most commonly consumed by participants in the study was low-fat sour milk. Other fermented dairy products consumed were yogurt, kefir, quark and fermented cheeses.

Earlier Research Suggested that Yogurt Might Lower Risk for Cardiovascular Events

A study published April 13, 2018 in the American Journal of Hypertension showed that eating yogurt might lower the risk for heart disease in people who suffer from high blood pressure. High blood pressure affects about a billion people all over the world and is a major risk for cardiovascular disease events like heart attacks and strokes.

The participants in the study all suffered from high blood pressure and were followed for 30 years. They were 55,898 women from the Nurses’ Health Study (ages 30-55) and 18,232 men (ages 40-75) from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.

Results

The women who consumed more than two servings a week of yogurt from the Nurses’ Health Study had about a 30% lower risk for a heart attack. The men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study had about a 19% reduction in risk for a heart attack. Both groups had about a 20% lower risk of major heart disease or a stroke.

More Research is Necessary

More research is necessary to discover how fermented dairy products like sour milk and yogurt lower the risk for heart attacks.

Heart Disease

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• Heart disease is the number one leading cause of death in the United States.
• About 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year (1 of every 4 deaths).
• Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. More than half of the deaths due to heart disease in 2009 were in men.
• Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common type of heart disease and it kills over 370,000 people every year.
• About 735,000 Americans have a heart attack every year. Of these, 525,000 are a first heart attack and 210,000 happen to people who have already had a heart attack.

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Conclusion

Since fermented dairy products may lower the risk for heart attacks or strokes in people who suffer from high blood pressure, it certainly pays to add yogurt to your diet. Also since non-fermented dairy products were associated with a higher risk for heart attacks, it pays to consume mainly fermented dairy products.