Fiber Consumption Lowers Fibrinogen

An interesting new study indicates that fiber intake is related to plasma fibrinogen concentrations. Fibrinogen is a protein made in the liver that is an important component of the normal blood-clotting cascade. In excess, fibrinogen can affect cardiovascular health and is associated with poor inflammatory responses.

The subjects included 20,960 adults between 45 and 75 years of age. Fiber intake was evaluated using a food-frequency questionnaire and plasma fibrinogen levels were measured.

The study found an inverse relationship between fiber intake and fibrinogen, meaning that as fiber intake increased, plasma fibrinogen levels decreased. Even after adjusting the data for potential confounding factors such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, smoking status, alcohol consumption, total calories and percentage of energy intake from carbohydrate, protein and fat, the results remained significant for the whole population.

When the results were categorized by sex, the researchers found the same beneficial effects of fiber for men, but not for smokers nor for women who were not using menopause-related hormone therapy.

The researchers stated that plasma fibrinogen levels appear to be inversely correlated to dietary fiber intake in middle-aged and older men and women.

Reference:

Freitas RN, Luben R, Wareham NJ, Khaw KT. Relationship between plasma fibrinogen and fiber intake in the EPIC-Norfolk cohort. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2011 Nov 23. Published Online Ahead of Print.