Stroke: Taking Essential Fatty Acids, Folic Acid and Arginine Could Reduce Your Risk of Stroke

This year alone, 125,000 people in the UK will suffer a stroke and 60,000 of them will die as a result. In fact, stroke is the third most common cause of death in the UK.  And those who suffer a non-fatal stroke can be left with little quality of life unable to talk, walk, swallow or control their bodily functions. However, by knowing the risk factors, and taking steps to eliminate them, you can dramatically reduce your chances of featuring in these grim statistics.

A stroke happens when the blood supply to a part of the brain is interrupted, depriving it of oxygen. Usually this is because a small artery becomes blocked, either by a blood clot or by a piece of debris from the artery wall. This is known as an ischaemic stroke.

The rupturing of a small artery in the brain may cause another kind of stroke, called a haemorrhagic stroke. Whatever the cause, some brain cells die from oxygen starvation. How many cells die and in which part of the brain determines whether the stroke is fatal and, if it is not, the type and severity of problems the person is left with. Even suffering a mini-stroke or transient ischaemic attack, that doesnt cause lasting damage, greatly increases your chances of suffering a major stroke later.

Having high blood pressure, being overweight and having diabetes or metabolic syndrome can all increase your risk of stroke. Stroke risk goes up fast above a blood pressure of 115/75, a level generally considered low to normal (JAMA 2003;289(19): 2560-72).   A Swedish study has found that obese men that is, those with a body mass index of more than 30 have double the risk of stroke of those who are not obese (Stroke 2004;35(12): 2764-9).

For people who have diabetes or metabolic syndrome (a condition in which the body cells stop responding to the hormone insulin), the news is even worse. Their risk of a stroke is six times greater than average and they make up a shocking 70 per cent of all stroke victims (Curr Treat Options Neurol 2004; 6(6): 443-50). Following a low carbohydrate diet will help you to lose weight, reduce your risk of diabetes or metabolic syndrome and may also help you bring your blood pressure down.

Taking statin drugs to reduce cholesterol can have dangerous side-effects
What the above risk factors have in common is that they promote the build-up of fatty plaque inside the arteries, pieces of which could break off to block the tiny blood vessels in the brain. The two carotid arteries, one each side of your neck, are particularly prone to plaque build-up. Many doctors just think of cholesterol when they think of arterial plaque and they can be quick to prescribe statin drugs to bring cholesterol levels down. In some people, statin drugs have unpleasant and dangerous side-effects, such as severe muscle pain and weakness, chronic fatigue, liver damage, kidney failure and even heart attack or stroke!  The other flaw in this approach is that your cholesterol level is not the only important indicator of stroke risk.

About half of the people who suffer a stroke have raised cholesterol the other half have normal or even low cholesterol. Scientists now understand that arterial plaque actually results from an inflammatory disorder of the blood vessels (Circulation 2003;108: e81-e85). 

Although cholesterol is an ingredient in the formation of plaque, two substances closely linked with the inflammatory process are now believed to be much better indicators of how likely you are to have a stroke: homocysteine and C-reactive protein (CRP). Natural supplements that reduce the levels of these two substances can give you a safe and effective way to reduce your risk of stroke.

Folic acid and arginine fight damaging homocysteine and reduce your risk of a stroke
Folic acid (also called folate) has been shown to reduce homocysteine levels. In one controlled trial, 368 elderly people were given either a placebo or a folic acid supplement ranging from 50 mcg to 600 mcg a day. After six weeks, those taking 400 mcg or 600 mcg of folic acid saw their homocysteine levels plummet (Q J Med 2002;95: 27-35).

Another recent study that followed the eating habits of almost 10,000 people found that those consuming at least 300 mcg of folic acid each day were 20 per cent less likely to have a stroke as those consuming 135 mg or less (Stroke 2002;33: 1183-9). Good dietary sources of folic acid include asparagus, beets, broccoli, avocados, Brussels sprouts, dried beans, chickpeas, soybeans, lentils, oranges, fresh peas, turkey, cabbage, savoy cabbage, pak choy and spinach. Take 400 to 800 mcg of folic acid a day.

The amino acid arginine also controls homocysteine. In a trial at Pennsylvania State University, in the US, participants were given a daily 12g dose of arginine or a placebo, after which their blood was tested. The scientists were surprised to find that the more arginine present in the blood stream, the lower the homocysteine level. Good amounts of arginine are present in lean beef, walnuts and pistachios. The recommended level for a daily supplement is 10g to 15g in powdered form (but take arginine with care if you are prone to cold sores or have arthritis, as it can aggravate both).

Essential fatty acids protect your arteries from plaque
Essential fatty acids play a leading role in reducing both homocysteine and CRP levels, improving arterial blood flow and preventing blood clots (Circulation 2004;109(13): 1,609-14). Researchers have found that the omega-3 fatty acids present in fish oil actively reduce the build-up of plaque in the carotid arteries (Atherosclerosis 2004;176(1): 145-9).

Whats more, consuming fish oil for just a few months actually transforms the structure of arterial plaque, making it more stable and less likely to break up into stroke-causing fragments (Lancet 2003;361: 477-85). Take 1,500 mg of omega-3 fatty acids daily as a fish oil supplement.

Another essential fatty acid, called linoleic acid, may also reduce the risk of stroke. Doctors in Japan took regular blood samples from 7,450 men over a period of seven years. During this time, 197 of the participants suffered a stroke.  Analysis of the blood samples revealed that the stroke victims had significantly less linoleic acid in their blood than the other men.

Good food sources of linoleic acid are nuts, seeds, whole grains and sunflower, safflower and soya bean oils. Alternatively, take a supplement of 1,000 mg of evening primrose oil daily.