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31.07.2021

Ergothioneine, the longevity vitamin from mushrooms, protects against deadly cardiovascular disease

Mushrooms contain the antioxidant amino acid ergothioneine. The more ergotioneine circulating in your blood, the smaller your risk of fatal cardiovascular disease.

Study
Einar Smith, of Lund University in Sweden, studied 3,236 participants in the Malmo Diet and Cancer study.

The participants donated blood between 1991 and 1996 and described their diet. Subsequently, researchers had been able to follow the participants for an average of 21 years, and keep track of which of them died or developed a serious or chronic condition.

Results
The researchers found that 5 metabolites in the study participants' blood correlated positively with a healthy diet. Smith found the strongest link between a healthy diet and ergothioneine.

Ergothioneine correlated with high vegetable intake. This includes edible mushrooms, which were probably the main source of the antioxidant amino acid.

In second place came proline betaine. This metabolite probably comes mainly from citrus fruits.

When the researchers looked at whether they could find associations between metabolites and health, ergothioneine in particular appeared to protect health. A high ergothioneine level correlated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease and a lower risk of all-cause mortality.

Mechanism
In the body, ergothioneine is relatively stable. In cells, it acts as an antioxidant. Researchers suspect that ergothioneine helps keep the cells in the artery walls healthy.

Source:
Heart. 2020 May;106(9):691-7.

More:
Meta-study confirms protective effect of edible mushrooms against cancer | Is ergothioneine a key player? 27.07.2021
Ergothioneine makes mushrooms healthy for your brain 31.12.2018

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