The Effect of a Vegan Diet on the Cardiovascular System

Abstract

The vegan diet, often known as a plant-rich diet, consists primarily of plant-based meals. This dietary approach may be beneficial to one’s health and the environment and is valuable to the immune system. Plants provide vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants, components that promote cell survival and immune function, allowing its defensive mechanisms to work effectively. The term “vegan diet” comprises a range of eating patterns that prioritize nutrient-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. In comparison to omnivorous diets, which are often lower in such products, the vegan diet has been favorably connected with changes in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk markers such as reduced body mass index (BMI) values, total serum cholesterol, serum glucose, inflammation, and blood pressure. Reduced intake of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), saturated fat, processed meat, and greater consumption of fiber and phytonutrients may improve cardiovascular health. However, vegans have much smaller amounts of nutrients such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), selenium, zinc, iodine, and vitamin B12, compared to non-vegans, which may lead to detrimental cardiovascular effects. This review aims to present the effect of plant-based diets (PBDs), specifically vegan diets, on the cardiovascular system.

Profiles of Serum Fatty Acids in Healthy Women on Different Types of Vegetarian Diets

“…According to the vast amount of literature, plant-based diets provide health benefits, associated, inter alia, with a lower intake of SFAs, along with a higher consumption of PUFAs [ 8 , 9 ]. In our study, vegans had lower serum levels of SFAs compared with vegetarians and omnivores, and a lower SFAs dietary intake than any other diet group.…”

“…On the one hand, as described above, a feeding pattern based solely on plant products is perceived as anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective [ 8 , 9 ]. On the other hand, however, a lower intake of crucial n -3 PUFAs (namely, EPA and DHA), as observed in vegan individuals, may carry the risk of negative effects on the cardiovascular system [ 11 ].…”

Effects of a Short‐Term Vegan Challenge in Older Adults on Metabolic and Inflammatory Parameters—A Randomized Controlled Crossover Study

“…The aging process is often accompanied by inflammaging, a chronic low-grade state of inflammation, as well as an impaired glucose and lipid metabolism, which increases the risk of cardio-metabolic disease. [1,2] A vegan diet which omits all animal-based foods has been linked to many health benefits such as improved gut microbiome, [3][4][5] lowered blood glucose, and triglyceride concentrations, [6,7] lower risk of cardiovascular disease [8] as well as lower incidence of malignant tumors [9] and lower inflammation. [10,11] In recent years, popularity for vegan diets has surged with a growing interest even among adults aged over 65 years.…”

Associations of Dietary Intake with Cardiovascular Risk in Long-Term “Plant-Based Eaters”: A Secondary Analysis of a Cross-Sectional Study

“…This nutritional imbalance contributes to the increasing incidence of obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and coronary artery disease [ 29 , 30 , 31 ]. The abundance of fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals in plant-based and healthy plant-based diets may contribute to decreased blood pressure, improved lipid profiles, and reduced risk of CVDs [ 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 ].…”