> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.foodconsumer.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Nutrients and stroke risk
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/nutrients_and_stroke_risk_1112120843/
- Published: 2012-11-12T21:42:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:09:31.000Z
- Description: Reviewing the epidemiological evidence in Current Opinion in Lipidology, Karolinska researcher S.C. Larsson finds magnesium and potassium intake may help prevent stroke and high sodium may raise risk. Effects of most fats, cholesterol, calcium and single vitamins remain uncertain.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Heart & Blood, Avoiding Illness, #vivvo-import

By David Liu, PHD

Veteran epidemiologist S. C. Larsson of Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden published a review in Current Opinions in Lipidology to suggest that some nutrients may boost risk of stroke while others may protect against the cardiovascular event.

Dr. Larsson reviewed current epidemiological evidence on the association of dietary fats and other nutrients with stroke risk and found sufficient evidence suggesting that magnesium and potassium intakes may help prevent stroke while high sodium intake may be a risk factor for stroke. To have sufficient intake of magnesium and potassium, food consumers should eat a lot of vegetables.

It is as certain whether long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat would protect against stroke, but it is possible in women. It is much more uncertain whether trans fat, other fats and dietary cholesterol would have an impact on the risk of stroke. More research is needed in this area, according to the author.

Increased intake of calcium may not help all people, particularly those who have a moderate to high calcium intake already, but may help those with a low calcium intake, according to the review.

Also the author say that supplementation with individual vitamins may not have any protective effect against stroke in people who are well nourished.