Buckwheat and CVD Risk Markers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

The effects of buckwheat intake on cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have not been systematically investigated. The aim of the present study was to comprehensively summarize studies in humans and animals, evaluating the impact of buckwheat consumption on CVD risk markers and to conduct a meta-analysis of relevant data. Thirteen randomized, controlled human studies, two cross-sectional human studies and twenty-one animal studies were identified. Using random-effects models, the weighted mean difference of post-intervention concentrations of blood glucose, total cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly decreased following buckwheat intervention compared with controls [differences in blood glucose: −0.85 mmol/L (95% CI: −1.31, −0.39), total cholesterol: 0.50 mmol/L (95% CI: −0.80, −0.20) and triglycerides: 0.25 mmol/L (95% CI: −0.49, −0.02)]. Responses of a similar magnitude were seen in two cross-sectional studies. For animal studies, nineteen of twenty-one studies showed a significant reduction in total cholesterol of between 12% and 54%, and fourteen of twenty studies showed a significant reduction in triglycerides of between 2% and 74%. All exhibited high unexplained heterogeneity. There was inconsistency in HDL cholesterol outcomes in both human and animal studies. It remains unclear whether increased buckwheat intake significantly benefits other markers of CVD risk, such as weight, blood pressure, insulin, and LDL-cholesterol, and underlying mechanisms responsible for any effects are unclear.

Whole grain food diet slightly reduces cardiovascular risks in obese/overweight adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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The Importance of Buckwheat as a Pseudocereal: Content and Stability of Its Main Bioactive Components

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Strategic enhancement of genetic gain for nutraceutical development in buckwheat: A genomics-driven perspective

“…In fact, the epidemiological studies conducted in southwest China (He et al, 1995) and inner Mongolia ( Zhang et al, 2007) revealed that low density lipoproteins (LDL) and serum total cholesterol were considerably low in participants consuming BW. BW-based dietary interventions are known to significantly reduce the total cholesterol in rats compared to controls, providing valuable protection against coronary heart diseases (Li et al, 2018). Owing to its remarkable slow digestibility, a strong hypocholesterolemic effect of BW protein was observed in the blood plasma of rats fed with cholesterol-enriched diets (Kayashita et al, 1997).…”