Coronary microvascular dysfunction occurs when tiny coronary blood vessels lose their ability to expand and contract properly, mostly due to damage from conditions like hypertension (high blood pressure). This damage impairs the delivery of oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle, which leads to symptoms such as chest pain despite having no major blockages in larger arteries. The dysfunction is linked to impaired endothelial cells lining these vessels, increased inflammation, and oxidative stress.
The study fed female rats with high blood pressure either a control diet lacking plant foods or a plant-based diet composed of 28% fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes for six months. Both diets were matched in nutrients except for the antioxidant-rich plant foods. The plant-based diet mimicked a daily human meal including foods like black beans, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, lemons, sweet potatoes, walnuts, and blueberries.
Researchers measured coronary microvascular dysfunction by assessing coronary flow reserve, a clinical indicator of microvascular health. Advanced cardiac MRI was used to visualize blood flow in heart tissues, and blood vessel cells were isolated for function tests. The results showed that the plant-based diet prevented coronary microvascular dysfunction and even reversed established coronary microvascular dysfunction, improving blood vessel function despite persistent hypertension. Antioxidants in plant foods appeared to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, restoring proper vasodilation and reducing tissue damage.
A subgroup of rats switched from the control to the plant-based diet after coronary microvascular dysfunction developed also showed significant improvement, highlighting the diet's restorative potential.
These promising findings underscore the potential of plant-based diets as a low-cost, low-risk approach to managing heart disease, especially in hypertensive patients, and pave the way for human clinical trials to further validate these benefits.
REFERENCE: Najjar, R. S., et al. (2025). Prevention and Reversal of Hypertension‐Induced Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction by a Plant‐Based Diet. Journal of the American Heart Association. doi:10.1161/jaha.125.045515. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/JAHA.125.045515
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