A new study published recently in the journal Nutrition suggests that eating a diet high in dietary nonenzymatic antioxidant capacity (NEAC) may reduce risk of ischemic stroke in women.
Both enzymatic antioxidants such as those in the liver and nonenzymatic antioxidants taken from a person's diet such as glutathione, vitamin C and vitamin E can help prevent peroxidation, which can release reactive oxygen species (ROS) to increase inflammation and oxidative stress, which is considered risk factors for diseases like cardiovascular disease and cancer.
The current study based on data from 34, 555 men and women from the Swedish National March Cohort shows that compared to women in the lowest quartile of NEAC, those in the highest quartile of NEAC were 27% less likely to suffer total stroke and 35% less likely to experience ischemic stroke.
Ischemic stroke is a type of stroke caused by blood vessel blockage. Increased levels of oxidative stress can increase risk of blood vessel blockage. Antioxidants reduce oxidative stress/inflammation, which is why dietary antioxidants can reduce risk of ischemic stroke.
It is interesting to note that the apparent benefits of antioxidants were not found in men and the protection does not apply to another type of stroke, hemorrhage stroke, which is caused by blood vessel rupture. It remains unknown why antioxidants were not associated with risk of hemorrhage stroke. (David Liu)
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