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# Apple pectin prevents heart attack
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/apple_pectin_prevents_heart_attack_0815140920/
- Published: 2014-08-15T10:19:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:10:22.000Z
- Description: Rats fed apple pectin at 10, 40, 100 and 400 mg/kg a day showed smaller infarcts only at the two highest doses. The Korean authors say the fiber also blocked myocardial apoptosis, suggesting it protects against ischemic injury and not only against arterial occlusion.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Phytochemicals, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

Friday Aug 15, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- Dietary fiber reduces the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) by delaying the onset of occlusion of the coronary arteries. Occlusion of the coronary arteries due to myocardial cell death can lead to myocardial infarction or heart attack. 

A new study led by researchers at Catholic University of Daegu in Daegu, Korea suggests dietary supplementation with apple pectin, a dietary fiber can help prevent myocardial infarction by not only preventing occlusion of the coronary arteries, but also protecting against ischemic injury caused by occlusion of the arteries.

In the study, rats were fed 10, 40, 100 and 400 mg/kg/day of apple pectin. But only 100 and 400 mg/kg/day were found effective in attenuating infarct size. Apple pectin supplementation also prevented myocardial apoptosis thus delaying the onset of occlusion of the coronary arteries.

The study concludes "the current study suggests that intake of dietary fiber reduces the risk of CHD, not only by blocking steps leading to occlusion, but also by protecting against ischemic injury caused by occlusion of the arteries."

Apple pectin is water soluble. Pectin is also found in many other fruits including pears, guavas, quince, plums, gooseberries, oranges and other citrus fruits. In citrus fruits, pectin can be as high as 30%. (David Liu, PHD)

Lim SH, Kim MY, Lee J. Apple pectin, a dietary fiber, ameliorates myocardial injury by inhibiting apoptosis in a rat model of ischemia/reperfusion. Nutr Res Pract. 2014 Aug;8(4):391-7.