Fish Protein More Heart-Healthy Than Casein

Fish Protein More Heart-Healthy Than Casein

DIJON, France--A fish protein diet may not improveplasma antioxidant status, but it does appear to do so specifically in liver andheart tissue, according to animal research conducted at UPRES Lipides NutritionEA and published in the February issue of the Journal of Nutrition (133,2:479-82, 2003) (www.nutrition.org).Researchers sought to compare the changes in antioxidant status based on acasein versus a fish protein diet. They fed spontaneously hypertensive rats adiet containing 20-percent casein or fish protein for two months.

Results indicated that while the fish protein diet lowered bloodpressure and reduced plasma total cholesterol levels, it also reduced superoxidedismutase activity in all tissues except muscle compared with the casein diet.Fish also enhanced glutathione peroxidase activity in the liver and heart, whichwas accompanied by a reduction in lipid peroxidation. In kidney tissue, however,the lower catalase activity was associated with an enhancement in lipidperoxidation. Researchers concluded while fish protein did not play a relevantrole in plasma antioxidative defense status, it did increase it in the liver andheart compared with the casein diet. Also, fish protein attenuated thedevelopment of hypertension and decreased plasma total cholesterolconcentration, thereby enhancing protection against cardiovascular disease.