Effects on Metabolism and Nutritional Requirements - Essay Example

Name: Tutor: Title: Effects on Metabolism and Nutritional requirements (cardiovascular disease risk factors) Course: Date: Impact of nutrition of cardiovascular disease risk factors Introduction For a long time, cardiovascular disease has been a key cause of deaths, which consists of heart disease and stroke. Cardiovascular disease results from multiple genetic, metabolic, behavioral and ecological effects. The most common risk factors in cardiovascular disease include increased stress levels, hypertension, physical inactivity, poor diet in addition to diabetes. Cardiovascular diseases include disease that comprise the capacity of the heart to pump blood, disease resulting into failure of the valves or narrowing or hardening of the arteries. Additionally, toxins and infectious agents can damage blood vessels. Cardiovascular disease can affect the peripheral tissues that are dependent on the nutrients’ delivery as well as removing the wastes through the blood vascular system. However, nutrition can have an effect on cardiovascular risk factors, where some nutrient increase risk of cardiovascular disease while some nutrients lower the risk of cardiovascular disease (Esmaillzadeh 2008). Whereas management of stress is vital in lowering persistent and chronic stress at the psychological level, some nutrients are vital in restricting the impact of the stress response at the physiological level. Antioxidant nutrients like vitamin E and also coenzyme Q10 reduce stress because of the raise within oxidative stress allied to psychological stress. Additionally, nutrients like magnesium and B-complex vitamins help a lot in the functioning of a healthy nervous system. For instance, lack of Magnesium raises vulnerability to physiological damage resulting from stress (Maruthur 2009). Magnesium is also used up during stress and this leads to elevated risk of cardiovascular damage. Therefore, magnesium plays an important role in reducing stress, and thus considered a risk factor within the cardiovascular disease. B-complex vitamins are important in regulating the mood and emotional welfare through facilitation of carbohydrate metabolism, which has an effect on levels of serotonin as well as cellular change of glucose into utilizable energy. In addition, lack of B6, B12 and also folate have been associated with reducing psychological distress as well as stress symptoms like depression, irritability alongside other psychiatric disturbances (Kim 2010). Vitamin E and CoQ10 are key protective measures of cardiovascular disease risk factors. The impact of oxidative stress contributes to cardiovascular disease through several acute and chronic pathways and this includes ischemia, damaging of endothelial as well as oxidative changes taking place within low-density lipoprotein. When there is oxidative stress, free radicals generate structural changes within serum low-density lipoprotein. The damaged low-density lipoproteins are consequently acknowledged as foreign and are hence phagocitized by macrophages. The macrophages form foam cells which accumulate and stick on the surface of the blood vessels and facilitate the formation of lesions on the artery wall, which initiates cascade of events that eventually lead to cardiovascular disease. Nutrients like vitamin E and CoQ10 are strong antioxidant and prevent the initial damage to the low-density lipoprotein and endothelial tissues that lead to development of cardiovascular disease. It has been discovered that vitamin E helps in the reduction of the risks associated with myocardial infraction. Vitamin E stimulates the regression of existing arterial lesions and protects the development of atherosclerosis which is a risk factor too (Maruthur 2009). The role of vitamin E within the stimulation of the regression of existing arterial lesions in addition to it preventing the development of atherosclerosis has been demonstrated in several studies. For example, a study demonstrated that taking 100 IU/day or more of vitamin E can considerably lower coronary artery lesion development. Similarly, a another study showed that degeneration of an existing atherosclerosis within a group of men who had coronary bypass surgery and were taking over 100 IU/day of vitamin E. Moreover, studies have shown that alpha-tocopheral is a valuable antioxidant and gamma-tocopherol is needed to more efficiently get rid of specific free radical species and prevent lipid hydroperoxide from being formed within liposomes. Again, big dose of alpha-tocopheral are able to displace gamma-tocopherol within plasma and other tissues to a considerable level. The synergistic action of alpha-tocopheral and gamma-tocopherol offers a larger intensity of protection against oxidative damage (Kim 2010). Coenzyme Q10 is located within the mitochondria, Golgi bodies as well as lysosomes of body cells. CoQ 10 is an important element in ATP-generating procedure since it acts as a proton donor/electron acceptor and therefore it important in supporting cellular life. As a result, the concentration of CoQ 10 in organs that need high supply of energy is high and this includes the heart. In its condensed form, it acts as a chain-breaking antioxidant and regerates vitamin E. people with cardiac ailments have abnormally low levels of CoQ 10 and hence increase of CoQ 10 within the diet can help in improving the myocardial function. CoQ 10 is important in cellular membranes as well as plasma lipoproteins. More importantly, CoQ 10 is important in protecting against oxidative modifications that make low-density lipoproteins atherogenic. In addition to the important roles played by vitamin E and CoQ 10, various other nutrients carry out roles that lower risk factors and hence the reduce development of cardiovascular disease (William 2007). High blood pressure aggravates the atherosclerotic process through weakening the artery walls. In the process of the heart pumping blood, blood pressure rises. This rise forces the left ventricle to work more and with time left ventricular hypertrophy can occur and hence resulting to chronic heart failure. High blood pressure may also upset the heart’s electrical conduction system, generating arrhythmias. Studies have shown that calcium, potassium along with magnesium intake greatly affect the blood pressure (Shapiro 2002). A recent study indicated that consumption of sufficient amounts of these nutrients assist in preventing and treating hypertension by lowering the blood pressure by stimulating vascular muscle relaxation and hence peripheral resistance. Calcium, potassium and magnesium also control the electrical conduction system and decrease the prevalence of arrhythmia. Additionally, magnesium is important within neuromuscular transmission activity as well as ion exchange where it relaxes the muscles and has a direct influence on vascular tone and reactivity. A study having sixty patients with essential hypertension, the impact of magnesium supplementation on blood pressure was studied. The study outcome showed that the blood pressures were considerably reduced when magnesium supplementation was done for eight weeks in comparison to the period of eight-week management of the disease (Chobanian 2009). According to Chobanian (2009) the intestinal absorption and minerals absorption in the form of amino acid chelates is better to the one of inorganic metal salts. Because of the stability of amino acid chelates are not changed within the digestive process. In addition, amino acid chelates act in a similar way like dipeptides and tripeptides and hence they travel without difficulty through the intestines. This aspect is in particular vital in magnesium, normally found within oxide, citrate or sulfate forms, which can be hard in absorbing and have a laxative impact. Magnesium glycinate is a true amino acid chelate and has dipeptide characteristics and this make it a perfect mineral form for therapeutic uses in hypertension (Maruthur 2009). Essential fatty acids in particular omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids lower the production of inflammatory thromboxanes and this decreased the probability of aggregation of platelets and hence lowers the blood pressure. A research that was carried out to study the long-term effects of beneficial dietary fats on blood pressure indicated that an absolute 1 percent rise within tissue alpha-linolenic acid, which is omega-3 content was related to a reduction of 5 mm Hg within the systolic, diastolic in addition to mean pressures. This indicates that essential fatty acids play an important role in reducing blood pressure as a risk factor of cardiovascular disease (Chobanian 2009). Basically, most people within developed nations take artherogenic diets. Epidemiological information indicates that a decrease of dietary saturated fats, cholesterol, fried foods, sugar in addition to animal proteins positively impacts cardiovascular disease risk. On the other hand, consuming a diet of high fiber, fruits and vegetable have been shown to lower cardiovascular disease risks. The objective of dietary intervention is mainly to impact the lipid profile positively and this means reducing triglycerides, cholesterol as well as low-density lipoproteins and raise high-density lipoproteins. Additionally, patients are often advised to lower drinking of alcohol and beverages having caffeine (Roth 2008). Diabetes as a risk factor in cardiovascular disease, about 70 percent of deaths occur in people having diabetes due to coronary artery disease and related congestive heart failure. Even though the role of carbohydrate in cardiovascular disease in not well established, research indicates that diets having high glycemic indexes which are typified by fast absorption as well as high postprandial glucose and insulin response, elevate the risk of cardiovascular disease. Low insulin sensitivity is associated with cardiovascular disease since carbohydrates are used preferentially over triglycerides as well as other lipids for generation of energy (O'Keefe 2008). This upshot is most dramatic within “carbohydrate persons”; individuals who respond to sucrose with unusually high glucose levels. In isolation, fasting lipid profiles and this consists of triglycerides, high-density lipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins, total cholesterol in addition to apolipoproteins, are significant laboratory markers for diabetic associated cardiovascular disease. In type ΙΙ diabetes, lowering dietary carbohydrates and the addition of elements like chromium, vanadium as well as B vitamins are important in stabilizing blood glucose, increasing insulin sensitivity and metabolizing carbohydrates are significant preventive measures in cardiovascular disease, in particular where diabetes proves to be a risk factor (Kotchen 2008). Furthermore, garlic active constituents such as allicin and sulfur compounds lower blood pressure which is a risk factor in cardiovascular disease. They lower the sensitivity of peripheral blood vessels to adrenalines, support dilation of blood vessels, hinder angiotensin-converting enzyme and arachidonic acid metabolites and also elevate the levels of adenosine within the blood stream. Adenosine directly increases peripheral blood vessels and also plays an important in regulating the blood flow within the coronary arteries. Allicin is also involved in vasodilating activity within the vascular bed. In addition, within a meta-analysis on the impact of garlic in reducing the blood pressure, it was shown that the general collective variation within systolic and diastolic blood pressure in comparison to baseline measures was higher within subjects that were treated with garlic. Moreover, chronic garlic intake has been linked with a reduction within the aortic stiffness associated with aging, in that way supporting elastic characteristics of a healthy aorta (Baim 2008). Conclusion In conclusion, research has also indicated that homocysteine is a risk factor for development of atherosclerosis, which contributes to the progression of cardiovascular disease because it can lead to changes within vascular structure as well as function that are characteristic of atherosclerotic disease. Additionally, plasma homocysteine concentration is known to be an independent predictor of augmented carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), an early physiologic structural change that takes place within the artery wall when atherosclerosis is developing. Homocysteine damages endothelial function. Increased levels of plasma homocysteine therefore augment the risk for an atherothrombotic event, and taking nutrients such as of folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 can control the atherothrombotic event. Bibliography Baim, D, 2008, Diagnostic of cardiac catheterization and angiography. In Harrisons' principals of internal medicine, Mac Graw Hill, New York. Chobanian, A., 2009, The hypertension paradox -- more uncontrolled disease despite improved therapy, N Engl J Med, Vol.361:878-887. Esmaillzadeh, A., 2008, Food intake patterns may explain the high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among Iranian women, J Nutr, Vol. 138/8. Kotchen, T, 2008, Hypertensive vascular disease, Mac Graw Hill, New York. Kim, J., 2010, Nutritional improvement of the endothelial control of vascular tone through polyphenols: role of NO and EDHF, Pflugers Arch. Vol. 459/6. Roth, J., 2008, Nutrition protocols for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, Nutr Clin Pract, Vol. 23/5. Maruthur, N, 2009, Lifestyle interventions reduce coronary heart disease risk: results from the PREMIER Trial, Circulation, Vol. 119/115. O'Keefe, J., 2008, Primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases: a practical evidence-based approach, Mayo Clin Proc, Vol. 84/8. Shapiro, MF, 2002, Contribution of major diseases to disparities in mortality, N Engl J Med, Vol. 347:1585-1592. William, C., 2007, Nutrition and cardiovascular disease: Putting a pathogenic framework into focus, Cardiovascular Research, Vol. 73/2. Read More