Wake-up call for those over 40

As people age, bodies undergo various changes, and one of the most significant shifts occurs in how people process and metabolise fats. 

A study from Stanford University has raised alarms about the effects of red meat consumption on heart health, especially for those over 40. Cardiologists are now recommending cutting red meat from your diet to lower both blood pressure and cholesterol, two key risk factors for cardiovascular disease, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

While this might seem like bad news for steak lovers, there are ways to enjoy your favorite foods in moderation and make healthier choices for your heart. Here's what you need to know about red meat, its impact on your heart, and healthier alternatives to consider. A new study is raising concerns about the effects of one specific food on heart health, particularly for individuals aged 40 and above. Conducted by Stanford University and published in Nature Aging, the research reveals that our body's ability to metabolize lipids significantly declines after we hit 40.

This means that people over 40 struggle more with digesting fats and breaking down triglycerides, which are the most common type of fat in the body. High triglyceride levels can raise the risk of heart disease and stroke, especially when combined with other risk factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The good news, however, is that eliminating just one type of food from your diet can drastically improve your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, helping to offset some of the natural decline in lipid metabolism associated with aging. Wondering what food it is? According to cardiologists, it’s red meat. 

"Red meat, such as steak, can elevate the risk of hypertension and high cholesterol," says Dr. Cheng-Han Chen, MD, a board-certified interventional cardiologist and the medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center. "The high saturated fat content in most steaks leads to higher cholesterol levels in the body. Additionally, the sodium found in red meat, particularly the salt used to season steaks, is a known contributor to high blood pressure." Dr. Yu-Ming Ni, MD, a board-certified cardiologist and lipidologist at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute, also agrees with Dr. Chen.

"Red meat in general is rich in saturated fat, which has been linked to higher rates of heart disease. It also contains a significant amount of cholesterol," Dr. Ni explains. "Interestingly, there is some debate as to whether higher dietary cholesterol directly correlates with higher heart disease rates, though it's clear that there's a strong connection between blood cholesterol levels and heart disease." For those who enjoy larger steak cuts, this might not be the news they want to hear. 

By Naila Huseynova