Brainwaves: The future of protein and heart health

In a world looking to more sustainable production systems, alternative proteins are increasingly being researched for their health benefits. Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki Lincoln University PhD student Ben Wright has studied the potential of plant and animal proteins to support cardiovascular health. 

The loss of my father at a young age to a heart attack forever changed my life. It is from this experience that my interest in cardiovascular research and nutrition grew. 

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The fact that its risk factors can be positively influenced by simple actions is something I was keen to better understand. 

Travelling from England to Aotearoa, I jumped at the opportunity to do my PhD as part of the Food Transitions 2050 Postgraduate School at Lincoln University. My research looks at blood pressure and arterial stiffness—health risks related to cardiovascular disease—that can be modified through our own actions. Specifically, I wanted to learn whether consuming certain proteins can help reduce these risks. 

To answer that question, I studied hempseed protein extract, whey protein concentrate, and bovine colostrum, which range from well-studied to little-understood. Though the latter is a dairy protein, bovine colostrum is unique to this study. So too is hempseed protein, and its role is vital here, being a plant protein to evaluate against the two animal proteins. 

Why is it important to examine plant versus dairy proteins? Well, looking ahead to a time when it may be significantly less sustainable for us to produce the majority of our food agriculturally, we’ll need to turn to alternative proteins. For this reason, hempseed was chosen as it is fast emerging as a promising protein source of the future.  

We need protein in our diets. Once ingested, it breaks down into peptides, with specific peptides utilised for different things within the body. Here, I focused on proteins that break down into angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory peptides. Though they are absorbed and used differently by the body, they work toward the same goal: supporting heart health by potentially favourably influencing blood pressure and arterial stiffness. 

The protein most likely to pique people’s interest is hempseed. Research in Aotearoa has already been conducted on cannabis, its different types and their associated health properties, but there is more to understand. I hope these findings contribute to this body of knowledge and are another step in destigmatising hemp. 

In a nutshell, what did we learn from this research? Increasing protein intake through supplementation can support heart health, with hempseed seemingly having the capacity to be as powerful a source as the dairy proteins trialled. 

I also learned that there are misconceptions about cardiovascular health that need debunking. Contrary to popular belief, many people can take simple steps, as opposed to giant leaps, to improve their blood pressure and their general wellbeing. It might be walking a bit more or further, adding a little more protein to your diet or adjusting your fat intake. These little changes can make a big impact on cardiovascular health. 

In other words, there’s no need to be put off by the idea that lifestyle changes must be extreme or incredibly time-consuming. Just get some advice from a qualified practitioner first.  

Beginning with laboratory research before moving to human trials gave me a firm grasp of how to use these proteins as dietary supplements and their potential effects on people. 

Two human trials were run with participants experiencing mild hypertension. They supplemented their diet with one of the proteins for 16 weeks. I then monitored them for multiple outcomes to provide greater certainty about the results, including blood pressure, pulse wave analysis indices (which indicate arterial health) and blood lipids. From the evidence gathered, I saw an overall improvement in participants’ blood pressure and a reduction in arterial stiffness. 

These results, coupled with subsequent studies, could indicate that taking a protein supplement is beneficial, opening doors for people to support their cardiovascular health as part of their everyday routine. 

From losing my father to my own heart issues at a young age, I'm driven to help people find simple ways to support their long-term health. 

Ben Wright, Faculty of Environment, Society and Design, Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki Lincoln University and Joint Postgraduate School: Food Transitions 2050

Supervisors: Professor Mike Hamlin (Lincoln University), Dr Keegan Burrow (Lincoln University) and Dr Alison Wallace (Bioeconomy Science Institute, formerly Plant and Food Research). 

Thesis: An investigation into the capability of hemp and milk proteins to ameliorate cardiovascular disease risk factors.