It’s an age old saying and now a study published in the BMJ says that eating an apple a day may be as useful as using a statin in people over 50 suffering with vascular illness and that eating an apple per day may even prevent death. Nevertheless, the benefits of statins are still said to outweigh the risks. The researchers took into consideration the fact that widespread use of statins could increase muscle disease by 1000 and diabetes by 10 000 persons.
Researchers at the University of Oxford in the UK said that while statins reduce the risk of vascular events like stroke and heart attack, lifestyle changes including diet and exercise can also assist measurably. According to the researchers, eating an apple a day can reduce deaths in the UK in 8500 individuals while statins can reduce death by 9 400 persons.
The researchers said that 17.6 million people who are currently not using the drugs would be are eligible for treatment with statins if they were offered them as treatment in those aged over 50.
Maureen Talbot, senior cardiac nurse at the BHF acknowledges that fruit and indeed apples are good for our health but says that a statin cannot be replaced by an apple or other heart medication.
Statins are a class of drugs used to lower cholesterol and are also used to prevent a repeat of stroke or cardiovascular disease. The researchers reported that medical professionals in the UK are requesting more widespread use of statins in those aged 50 due to their efficacy in treating high cholesterol and preventing possible strokes and heart attacks.
According to reports, the researchers used “a mathematical model to estimate the number of annual vascular deaths that would be reduced if the total over-50 UK population were prescribed either a statin – if not already taking them – or an apple once a day.” The assumption was made that the subjects stuck to an overall caloric intake and that at least 70% of those studied adhered to the guidelines for the study.
Interestingly, it was found that either an apple or a statin in anyone over 30 could vastly reduce the possibility of a vascular event.
According to the Report in the BMJ, Dr. Adam Briggs, of the British Heart Foundation (BHF) Health Promotion Research Group at Oxford University said, “The Victorians had it about right when they came up with their brilliantly clear and simple public health advice: ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’ and it just shows how effective small changes in diet can be, and that both drugs and healthier living can make a real difference in preventing heart disease and stroke.”
The researchers made it clear that an apple is not a replacement for a prescribed statin.
