Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Association with Serum Levels of Nitric Oxide, Prostacyclin, and Thromboxane B2 among Prinzmetal Angina Patients and Healthy Persons

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet with serum Nitric oxide, Prostacyclin, and Thromboxane B2 among Prinzmetal angina patients and healthy persons. This case-control study was conducted among 100 Prinzmetal angina patients and 100 healthy persons referred to the Ardabil Imam Khomeini hospital between 2021 and 2022. Blood samples were obtained from all study participants for measurement of serum Nitric oxide, Prostacyclin, and Thromboxane B2. To calculate adherence to the Mediterranean diet, the ten-item screener was used. The serum Nitric oxide in patients who adhered more to the Mediterranean diet was higher than patients with less adherence (coeff. = 0.41 p = 0.04). The serum Prostacyclin level in patients with greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet was 0.34 units higher than patients with less adherence (coeff. = 0.34 p = 0.02). The level of serum Thromboxane B2 had a negative association with adherence to the Mediterranean diet (coeff. = −0.48 p = 0.04). The amount of consumption of olive oil, fruits, vegetables, and legumes in healthy people was more than Prinzmetal angina patients. In Prinzmetal angina patients, more adherence to the Mediterranean diet can decrease the serum Thromboxane B2 and increase the serum Nitric oxide and Prostacyclin.

The Effect of Dietary Supplementation with Plant Sterols on Total and LDL-Cholesterol in Plasma Is Affected by Adherence to Mediterranean Diet: Insights from the DESCO Randomized Clinical Study

“…A possible explanation of this observation might be the larger quantity of polyphenols usually found in the Mediterranean diet [39,40]. Since these compounds have been shown to exert a slight inhibition of cholesterol synthesis due to the inhibition of HMGCoA reductase, their effect might theoretically potentiate the hypocholesterolemic effects of phytosterols acting on cholesterol absorption from the gut [39,40] Our preliminary observation of a potential additive effect of plant sterol efficacy from good adherence to the Mediterranean diet is also useful considering that the Mediterranean diet per se has proven to be an effective means to prevent ASCVD [11,41]. In fact, compared to different healthy dietary approaches, it has been estimated that the Mediterranean diet is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of cardiovascular mortality (odds ratio 0.55, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.78), stroke (odds ratio 0.65, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.93), and non-fatal myocardial infarction (odds ratio 0.48, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.65) [42].…”

Understanding human aging and the fundamental cell signaling link in age-related diseases: the middle-aging hypovascularity hypoxia hypothesis

“…Findings are consistent with observational reports linking dietary nitric oxide sources to beneficial health outcomes associated with the Mediterranean diet ( Martínez-González et al, 2015 ; Shannon et al, 2021 ), dietary spermidine ( Wu et al, 2022 ), and longevity (healthspan) in Blue Zone populations ( Vasto et al, 2014 ; Nieddu et al, 2020 ). The Mediterranean diet increases serum nitric oxide ( Shannon et al, 2018 ; Mohajeri and Cicero, 2023 ), improves endothelial function ( Shannon et al, 2020 ; Fatima et al, 2023 ), is anti-oxidant ( Gantenbein and Kanaka-Gantenbein, 2021 ; Karbasi et al, 2023 ), and is anti-inflammatory ( Tsigalou et al, 2020 ; Soda et al, 2021 ). Beetroot juice as a dietary nitrate supplementation improves peripheral blood flow, endothelial function, and anti-inflammatory status in individuals with Raynaud’s phenomenon ( Shepherd et al, 2019 ).…”