Women consuming over 10 cups of green tea per day were 43% less likely to get cancer over some number of years of follow-up compared to women who consumed less than 3 cups of green tea per day according to a study of 8,552 general residents in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.

Men consuming over 10 cups of green tea per day were 42% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease over some number of years of follow-up compared to men who consumed less than 3 cups of green tea per day according to a study of 8,552 general residents in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.

Women consuming over 10 cups of green tea per day were 18% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease over some number of years of follow-up compared to women who consumed less than 3 cups of green tea per day according to a study of 8,552 general residents in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.

People consuming 100-199 mg of caffeine per day were 6% less likely to have died during a 23 year follow-up (1981-2004) compared to those consuming less than 50 mg per day according to the Leisure World Cohort Study.

“Moderate caffeine consumption appeared beneficial in risking risk of death,” the authors of the paper concluded.

People consuming 200-399 mg of caffeine per day were 10% less likely to have died during a 23 year follow-up (1981-2004) compared to those consuming less than 50 mg per day according to the Leisure World Cohort Study.

“Moderate caffeine consumption appeared beneficial in risking risk of death,” the authors of the paper concluded.

People consuming more than one can of artificially-sweetened cola per week were 18% more likely to have died during a 23 year follow-up (1981-2004) compared to those consuming none according to the Leisure World Cohort Study.

People consuming 4 or more cups of decaffeinated coffee per day were 10% less likely to die over 23 years compared to those consuming none according to the Leisure World Cohort Study.

The one-fourth of elderly people consuming a diet with the most olive oil, raw vegetables (especially lettuce and tomatoes), soups and poultry were 50% less likely to die than the one-fourth of people consuming the least of these foods according to a study following 5611 Italian elderly subjects, over the age of 60, for 6 years.

Coronary stents do not reduce the risk of dying according to a meta-analysis of eight (8) studies which included a total of 7229 patients with an average follow-up of 4.3 years.

The death rate was 8.9% over the next 4.3 years in people who had a stent placed versus 9.1% in those who had standard medical therapy.

“Initial stent implantation for stable [coronary artery disease] shows no evidence of benefit compared with initial medical therapy for prevention of death, nonfatal [heart attack], unplanned revascularization, or angina,” the authors of the paper concluded.

The one-fourth of people consuming the most olive oil (6 teaspoons per day or more, 29 grams or more) were 26% less likely to die during an average follow-up of 13.4 years compared to non-consumers according to the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Spain) study which followed 40,622 people aged 29–69 years who were recruited from 5 Spanish regions in 1992–1996.

The one-fourth of people consuming the most olive oil (6 teaspoons per day or more, 29 grams or more) were 44% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease (CVD, heart attack or stroke) during an average follow-up of 13.4 years compared to non-consumers according to the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Spain) study which followed 40,622 people aged 29–69 years who were recruited from 5 Spanish regions in 1992–1996.

Each additional two teaspoons (10 grams) of olive oil intake per day was associated with a 7% lower risk of dying during an average follow-up of 13.4 years according to the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Spain) study which followed 40,622 people aged 29–69 years who were recruited from 5 Spanish regions in 1992–1996.

Each additional two teaspoons (10 grams) of olive oil intake per day was associated with a 13% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease (CVD, heart attack or stroke) during an average follow-up of 13.4 years according to the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Spain) study which followed 40,622 people aged 29–69 years who were recruited from 5 Spanish regions in 1992–1996.

For every 2 teaspoon (10 gram) increase in extra virgin olive oil consumption per day was associated with a 7% lower risk of dying during a 4.8 year follow-up according to a study of 7,216 men and women at high cardiovascular risk, aged 55 to 80 years, from the PREDIMED study.

For every 2 teaspoon (10 gram) increase in extra virgin olive oil consumption per day was associated with a 10% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease (heart attack and stroke) during a 4.8 year follow-up according to a study of 7,216 men and women at high cardiovascular risk, aged 55 to 80 years, from the PREDIMED study.

People who had a heart attack who ate chocolate twice or more per week were 66% less likely to have died from heart-related problems over the 8 years following their heart attack compared to people who never ate chocolate according to the Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Program.

People who ate chocolate up to once a week were 44% less likely to have died from heart-related problems over the 8 years following their heart attack compared to people who never ate chocolate.

People who ate chocolate less than once a month were 27% less likely to have died from heart-related problems over the 8 years following their heart attack compared to people who never ate chocolate.

“Chocolate consumption had a strong inverse association with cardiac mortality,” the authors of the study concluded.

The one-third of elderly men, 65- to 84-years-old, who consumed the most cocoa were 47% less likely to die over the next 15 years compared to the one-third of men who consumed the least cocoa according to The Zutphen Elderly Study.

The one-third of men who consumed the most cocoa consumed an average of 4.2 grams per day which is the amount found in 10 grams of dark chocolate (0.35 ounces of dark chocolate).

The one-third of elderly men, 65- to 84-years-old, who consumed the most cocoa were 50% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease (CVD, heart attack or stroke) over the next 15 years compared to the one-third of men who consumed the least cocoa according to The Zutphen Elderly Study.

The one-third of men who consumed the most cocoa consumed an average of 4.2 grams per day which is the amount found in 10 grams of dark chocolate (0.35 ounces of dark chocolate).

The one-third of elderly men, 65- to 84-years-old, who consumed the most cocoa had an average systolic blood pressure that was 3.7 mmHg lower and an average diastolic blood pressure that was 2.1 mmHg lower than the one-third of men consuming the least cocoa (none) according to The Zutphen Elderly Study.

The one-third of men who consumed the most cocoa consumed an average of 4.2 grams per day which is the amount found in 10 grams of dark chocolate (0.35 ounces of dark chocolate).

The one-fifth of men with the highest toenail mercury levels were 2.2 times more likely to have a heart attack compared to the one-fifth of men with the lowest levels according to a study which looked at 684 men from eight (8) European countries and Israel who had a heart attack and compared them to 724 men selected to be representative of the same populations.

The one-fifth of men with the highest docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels were 41% less likely to have a heart attack compared to the one-fifth of men with the lowest levels according to a study which looked at 684 men from eight (8) European countries and Israel who had a heart attack and compared them to 724 men selected to be representative of the same populations.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish.

People who eat four (4) servings of nuts per week have a 37% lower risk of coronary heart disease compared to people who seldom or never consume nuts according to analysis of data from four (4) large epidemiological studies.

“Collectively, the epidemiological data indicates nuts may be one of the most cardio-protective whole foods commonly eaten,” the authors of the paper concluded.

“Simply eating more nuts could save many lives.”

People who ate legumes once or more per day had a 64% lower risk of hip fracture compared to those who ate legumes less than once a week according to the Adventist Health Study-2.

People who ate meat four or more times per week had a 40% lower risk of hip fracture compared to those who ate meat less than once per week according to the Adventist Health Study-2.

Vegetarians who eat fish, who are referred to as pescovegetarians, were 19% less likely to die over 5.8 years than non-vegetarians according to the Adventist Health Study-2.

Interestingly, vegetarians who eat fish had a lower risk of dying during the 5.8 year follow-up than all other groups of vegetarians (19% lower risk of dying for vegetarians who eat fish versus a 15% lower risk of dying for vegans versus a 9% lower risk for lacto-ovo vegetarians and a 8% lower risk for semi-vegetarians).

Vegans were 15% less likely to die over 5.8 years than non-vegetarians according to the Adventist Health Study-2.

Vegans eat no animal products.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians were 9% less likely to die over 5.8 years than non-vegetarians according to the Adventist Health Study-2.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat vegetables, eggs, and dairy products, but do not eat meat.

Semi-vegetarians were 8% less likely to die over 5.8 years than non-vegetarians according to the Adventist Health Study-2.

Semi-vegetarians eat primarily a vegetarian diet, but occasionally eat meat, poultry or seafood.

Vegans are 62% less likely to have Type 2 diabetes than non-vegetarians according to the Adventist Health Study-2.

Vegans eat no animal products.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians are 38% l less likely to have Type 2 diabetes than non-vegetarians according to the Adventist Health Study-2.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat vegetables, eggs, and dairy products, but do not eat meat.

Semi-vegetarians are 51% less likely to have Type 2 diabetes than non-vegetarians according to the Adventist Health Study-2.

Semi-vegetarians eat primarily a vegetarian diet, but occasionally eat meat, poultry or seafood.

Vegans are 63% less likely to have hypertension than non-vegetarians according to the Adventist Health Study-2.

After adjusting for body mass index (BMI), vegans had a 47% lower risk of hypertension than non-vegetarians.

In other words, part of the reason for the lower risk of hypertension was due to lower body weight.

Vegans eat no animal products.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians are 43% less likely to have hypertension than non-vegetarians according to the Adventist Health Study-2.

After adjusting for body mass index (BMI), lacto-ovo vegetarians had a 14% lower risk of hypertension than non-vegetarians.

In other words, a large part of the reason for the lower risk of hypertension was due to lower body weight.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat vegetables, eggs, and dairy products, but who do not eat meat.

Semi-vegetarians are 8% less likely to have hypertension than non-vegetarians according to the Adventist Health Study-2.

After adjusting for body mass index (BMI), semi-vegetarians had a 22% greater risk of hypertension than non-vegetarians.

In other words, the reason for the lower risk of hypertension was due to lower body weight.

Semi-vegetarians eat primarily a vegetarian diet, but occasionally eat meat, poultry or seafood.

Niacin lowers the risk of a major coronary event (heart attack, death from heart attack or coronary bypass surgery) by an average of 25% according to a meta-analysis of eleven (11) studies which involved a total of 6545 people.

Niacin lowers the risk of a stroke by an average of 26% according to a meta-analysis of eleven (11) studies which involved a total of 6545 people.

Niacin raises HDL cholesterol levels by an average of 20% notes a paper on niacin.

Niacin lowers LDL cholesterol levels by an average of 16% notes a paper on niacin.

Niacin lowers triglyceride levels by an average of 20% notes a paper on niacin.

Extended-release niacin (1500 to 2000 mg per day) lowers levels of Lp(a) by an average of 28% in people starting with higher levels of Lp(a)—starting levels of 92 mg/dL versus 54 mg/dL—according to a study from Russia.

Elevated levels of Lp(a) (above 50 mg/dL) are associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke according to the Lipoprotein a Foundation.

Note: I prefer immediate-release niacin to extended-release niacin. In the 1980’s there were reports of some liver problems with extended-release niacin, and earlier studies showing benefits of niacin used immediate-release niacin, not extended-release.