It has been recognized for some time that high-fat meals can briefly impair artery operate by inflicting constriction of the arteries. That is often demonstrated within the arm (brachial artery) as a result of that’s the best to measure. It was additionally made well-known within the film The Gamechangers as a result of it might impair operate in an organ close to and pricey to males beneath the waist. However it is a non permanent impact that will go away after a number of hours, so you might marvel how essential this phenomenon this actually is healthwise.
This was answered in a research that regarded on the impact of high-fat meals on coronary arteries, as reviewed in Dr. Michael Greger’s video “Exercising To Defend Your Arteries From Quick Meals“. It seems coronary artery operate can be equally impaired for a number of hours [1]. Such a meal can deplete your whole “coronary reserve”, which is how a lot surrounding arteries can develop as wanted if blood stream is restricted in an essential one. A very powerful is the left descending coronary artery, aka “the widowmaker”. The research confirmed stream to be drastically diminished on this artery after a high-fat meal. Now think about that you simply all of the sudden needed to climb some stairs rapidly or run to catch a prepare. Your coronary heart races, however your coronary reserve is used up and your coronary heart is now not getting sufficient blood provide. This might set off an angina assault or perhaps a coronary heart assault in individuals whose coronary arteries are already in danger attributable to plaque build-up.
The one excellent news is that train can briefly mitigate this impact. About an hour of reasonable train (like brisk strolling) or 20 minutes of extra intense train (like stair climbing), can offset the impact of a subsequent high-fat meal, however provided that you do it lower than about 18 hours earlier than the meal [2,3]. It’s also possible to do the train as much as about an hour after the meal, but it surely doesn’t sound like a good suggestion for somebody with coronary artery illness to briskly go up stairs for 20 minutes proper after impairing their coronary artery operate with a high-fat meal.
Once I noticed the quantity of fats within the meal given to the topics, it appeared actually excessive to me, however then I came upon it was only a meal that could be realistically ordered at a fast-food restaurant. So I feel maybe the most important takeaway message is to keep away from such meals. For many of us there’s most likely no hurt occasionally as a “particular deal with”, however for these with coronary artery illness, particularly in the event you’ve not been very lively lately, even one such meal just isn’t advisable.
References
- Hozumi, T, et al, “Change in Coronary Circulate Reserve on Transthoracic Doppler Echocardiography after a Single Excessive-Fats Meal in Younger Wholesome Males”, Annals of Inside Medication, 2002.
- Teeman, C, et al “Postprandial Lipemic And Inflammatory Responses To Excessive-fat Meals: A Overview Of The Roles Of Acute And Continual Train”, Vitamin and Metabolism, 2016.
- Cho, M, et al, “The Acute Results Of Interrupting Extended Sitting With Stair Climbing On Vascular And Metabolic Operate After A Excessive-fat Meal”, European Journal of Utilized Physiology, 2020.
