Hempseed may reduce cardiovascular disease risk

Dietary hempseed may reduce cardiovascular disease risk
Finter 2008, Vol 4, Issue 13

Editor's note: As research continues to emerge on the nutritional value of hempseed, more potential clinical applications present themselves. This kind of breadth is rare for individual nutritional constituents. Not so for whole foods. This review on cardiovascular disease risk and dietery supplementation with hempseed is definitely worth a read!

For a great comprehensive look at hempseed's historical use and research studies, be sure to read columnist Larken Bunce's Hemp seed as Food and Medicine

Investigators in this featured research sought to assess whether dietary hempseed, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), could potentially reduce platelet aggregation under hypercholesterolemic conditions. Researchers note that hypercholesterolemia is a known risk factor for myocardial infarction due to its influence on increased platelet aggregation, which in turn raises the likelihood of blood clots. Recognizing the prevalence of high levels of cholesterol in the general public, Procuick et al sought to investigate a "plant-derived functional food" as a potential therapeutic alternative to widely available cholesterol-lowering pharmaceutical agents and fish oils supplements (which may be poorly tolerated). They acknowledge that hempseeds are a good source of protein, fiber, vitamin E and PUFAs. The authors also speculate that the therapeutic benefits may be largely due to hemp’s ratio of omega-6:omega-3 PUFAs of approximately 4:1, a ratio Procuick et al cite as recommended by Health Canada as optimal for health and wellbeing.

In this study, male New Zealand rabbits were fed one of six diets for an 8-week period, after which they were weighed and blood was collected for platelet aggregation and lipid analysis. Fatty acids were also extracted and analyzed from the dietary ingredients. The dietary interventions included: "regular control diet (RG); control diet + 10% hempseed (HP); control diet + 10% partially delipidated hempseed (DHP); control diet + 0.5% cholesterol (OL); control diet + 0.5% + 10% hempseed (OLHP); control diet + 5% coconut oil (C0)." Researchers hypothesized that the fatty acid composition of hempseeds would not only diminish platelet aggregation, but do so despite hypercholesterolemic conditions.

Notably, Procuik et al observed that "cosupplementation" of hempseeds and cholesterol actually improves the absorption of the fatty acids in hempseeds, as cholesterol was observed to "stimulate nonselective fatty acid absorption of all fatty acids present in the diet." Hempseeds are especially enriched in the fatty acids linoleic acid (LA) and Á- linolenic acid (GLA), explaining the high levels of GLA in the HP group. It was determined, "for the first time," that GLA has the capacity to significantly "inhibit the cholesterol-induced stimulation of platelet aggregation." This result was noted despite increased plasma levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. Because their results demonstrate the capacity of hempseeds rich in GLA to inhibit platelet aggregation despite high circulating cholesterol, researchers conclude their findings "may have significant potential for reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease."

Study: Procuick, M. A., et al, Can J Physiol. Pharmacol. 86: 153-159, (2008)

RETURN from hempseed and cardiac tissue

Share with a colleague

SEARCH OUR SITE:

NEW WEBINAR!

Potent Healing Solutions with Innate Response

With James Doherty, National Educator

LEARN MORE!

GET NOTIFIED OF NEW ISSUES!
Sign-up for our
e-newsletter and never miss annother issue!

A WELCOME MESSAGE from Matt Laughlin, Editor-in-Chief

Main Menu

Home Recent Issues Subscribe Free About the Journal Contact Us

Archives by Category

Feature Interviews Research Reviews In Whole Foods Healing and Consciousness Whole Foods
In Medicine Clinical Focus

FREE Resources

Webinars UH Blog E-Newsletter

Innate Response E-News includes new and archived editorial from UH, research reviews in whole foods, therapeutic rationales on whole food supplementation, and more...

[?] Subscribe To This Site