Inflammatory and intestinal permeability biomarkers in healthy participants on long term vegan, vegetarian, omnivore and low-carbohydrate high-fat diet

Abstract

Vegan, vegetarian and low-carbohydrate high fat (LCHF) diets can all offer several health benefits, if food choices are appropriate. In most studies examining their effects on systemic inflammation, participants were either overweight, on a weight loss programme or not matched for BMI, or had a pre-existing condition such as type 2 diabetes mellitus or hypertension. Little is known about the effects of dietary patterns on healthy and normal weight individuals. The aim of the present study was therefore to assess and directly compare inflammatory and intestinal permeability status in healthy participants following aforementioned or omnivore diet for at least 6 months. In this cross-sectional study, we measured the inflammatory biomarkers IL-6, TNF-α and CRP, and the markers of intestinal permeability LBP and zonulin, along with the analysis of lifestyle aspects, dietary intakes and physical activity, in 89 healthy participants. The groups were matched for sex, age and BMI. There were no differences in any of the measured parameters between the four groups and we found no strong correlations with dietary intakes. Using cluster analysis, participants were divided into eight clusters with more or less favourable inflammatory profiles; all clusters contained representatives of all patterns and all patterns were represented in each cluster. Significant differences between clusters were in the intake of mono-unsaturated fatty acids, ω-3/ω-6 ratio, phase angle and working two shifts. In healthy, normal-weight individuals, inflammatory status therefore does not depend on the dietary pattern itself, but is rather more complexly regulated and associated with dietary and non-dietary factors.

Profiles of Serum Fatty Acids in Healthy Women on Different Types of Vegetarian Diets

“…This is also in accordance with our results, as the lower CRP levels in vegetarians were close to reaching statistical significance. In another study assessing and comparing inflammatory statuses in healthy subjects following different diets, inflammatory biomarkers, including CRP, among others, were similar in vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores [ 35 ]. Therefore, inflammatory status is under the influence of factors other than solely dietary pattern, and lower BCFAs concentrations in individuals following different types of plant diets presumably do not introduce a higher risk of inflammation and associated failure of the circulatory system.…”