Nutrition Bytes

Atherosclerosis leads as a cause of death and disability in Europe, North America and Japani. It has been previously determined that high LDL:HDL ratios, family history, smoking, gender, chronic hypertension and age are all risk factors for developing atherosclerotic plaques and subsequent cardiovascular disease (CVD). Recently, evidence is emerging that high levels of stored iron might constitute yet another risk factor for atherosclerosisii,iii,iv. This is consistent with the proposed mechanism of atherogenesis, whereby macrophages take up an oxidized version of LDL to become foam cells (which compose the gruel of the plaque)v. Body stores of iron would act as pro-oxidants to catalyze the formation of oxidized LDL from normal serum LDL. Thus, high levels of iron would promote increased foam cell development and plaque enlargement. Although some studies have shown a lack of association between body iron stores and atherogenesis vi,vii,viii, it is feasible that repeated phlebotomy (which would decrease iron s tores) might prove to lower one's risk of developing atherosclerosis and CVD.