She certainly isn’t the only one, with stars including Kim Kardashian-West and Jennifer Aniston endorsing the Atkins diet, but Sarah Jessica Parker’s famed high-protein regime has just come under fire for one seriously concerning reason.
Dr Mohamad Barbour, lead researcher of a new study from Brown University, says that although more research is needed, his team’s findings show a rather worrying link between the diet so highly preferred by Hollywood’s finest, and the dieter’s risk of heart failure.
The team analysed data from meal diaries kept by more than 100,000 postmenopausal women aged 50 to 79 for over five years.
At the beginning of the trial, all 103,878 women were heart failure-free, but come the end of the study period, and a total of 1,711 women had developed the incurable illness.
What’s more, the researchers were able to conclude from the questionnaires and regular tests that the participants who got their protein from meats were at a significantly higher risk than those who ate less protein, or consumed it in vegetables and legumes.
Jennifer Aniston, 47, swears by her organic, high-protein diet to keep her in shape, but are the health risks worth fitting into those old skinny jeans?
“Higher calibrated total dietary protein intake appears to be associated with substantially increased heart failure risk while vegetable protein intake appears to be protective,” says Dr Barbour.
He added: “Our findings should be interpreted with caution, but it appears that following a high-protein diet may increase heart failure risk,” adding that the risk “among post-menopausal women is not only highly prevalent, but preventable by modifying diet.”
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While the study’s findings were the results of U.S. participants, in Australia, around 100,000 people currently live with the impairment that causes a weakening and inability for the heart to pump enough blood to satisfy the needs of the body.
Along with high-protein diets, a diet high in saturated fats and cholesterol, obesity, smoking, physical inactivity, high blood pressure and diabetes are risk factors to be mindful of.
And while heart failure appears more common in the elderly, symptoms to look out for include:
New or worsening shortness of breath
Weight gain
Muscular fatigue or tiredness
Swelling in the ankles, legs or abdomen
Dizziness
Chest pain or discomfort
Loss of appetite
Constipation
If you’d like to find out more about heart failure, book in with your trusted GP today.
