Cardiometabolic News and Research

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The coffee advice given to atrial fibrillation patients may deserve a rethink

The DECAF randomized trial found that adults with persistent atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter assigned to drink at least one cup of caffeinated coffee daily had a 39% lower hazard of recurrent clinically detected AF or flutter than those assigned to avoid coffee and caffeine. The findings challenge longstanding advice to routinely restrict caffeinated coffee in people with AF, while further research is needed to determine whether coffee itself provides a protective effect.

12 Aug 2026

One cognitive ability stood out in a study of Western diets and Alzheimer’s risk genes

A Western dietary pattern was associated with faster attention decline among older adults carrying the APOE ε4 allele, while no significant cognitive associations emerged for a Prudent dietary pattern. However, the Western diet association lost statistical significance after excluding participants with possible baseline cognitive impairment, making the finding exploratory.

11 Aug 2026

Semaglutide slows blood protein signature linked to future dementia risk

A post hoc analysis of 2,970 older SELECT participants found that semaglutide slowed worsening of a 25-protein blood signature that predicts future dementia risk. Over 104 weeks, semaglutide produced larger effects on modeled 5-year than 20-year dementia risk, but whether these biomarker changes translate into less cognitive decline or dementia remains unknown.

10 Aug 2026

Study links better midlife vascular health to nearly 13 more dementia-free years

A long-term study of 12,409 adults found that a greater burden of diabetes, hypertension, and current smoking in midlife was associated with substantially fewer years lived free of dementia. Adults with none of these risk factors had about 30.1 dementia-free years from age 55, compared with 17.5 years among those with all three, a difference of nearly 13 years.

10 Aug 2026

Why pulses could play a bigger role in healthy and sustainable diets

A narrative review finds that pulses may support gut and metabolic health through their fiber, protein, phytochemicals, and interactions with the gut microbiota, while offering a lower environmental footprint than many animal protein sources. Human evidence is strongest for selected cardiometabolic outcomes, while many microbiome and fermentation-related benefits remain supported mainly by animal and laboratory studies.

9 Aug 2026

Genetic analysis of 1 million people points to FNIP1 as a promising metabolic target

Mega-scale exome sequencing of 1,032,116 people identified 59 independent genes linked to the TG:HDL ratio, including 44 rare-coding associations not detected in the previous largest analysis. Ultra-rare FNIP1 loss-of-function variants were associated with favorable fat distribution, lower liver fat and glycemia, and around 60% lower odds of a composite cardiometabolic disease outcome.

7 Aug 2026

First-trimester protein intake linked to lower odds of small-for-gestational-age birth

A secondary analysis of 7,067 nulliparous participants found that first-trimester protein intake of 0.8 to less than 1.1 g/kg/day was associated with 22% lower adjusted odds of delivering an SGA infant than intake of at least 1.1 g/kg/day. The association was exploratory, with no dose-response pattern and no confirmation in sensitivity analyses.

6 Aug 2026

GLP-1 drug tirzepatide associated with lower risk of major cardiovascular events

Adding the GLP-1 receptor agonist drug tirzepatide (marketed as Mounjaro) to standard care for patients with type 2 diabetes and heart disease is associated with a lower risk of a major cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke, finds a study published by The BMJ today.

5 Aug 2026

Type 2 diabetes linked to more severe menopause symptoms

The type of menopause symptoms, as well as their severity, can differ greatly among women. A number of earlier studies have suggested various reasons for those differences.

5 Aug 2026

Mouse study shows how liraglutide briefly rewires gut bacterial communities

Researchers treated male high-fat-fed mice with liraglutide for 14 days, then tracked fecal bacterial communities after a 7-day washout using 16S rRNA sequencing. Liraglutide shifted the microbiome toward Lactobacillus- and Leptogranulimonas-related taxa while reducing several fermentative taxa, but most changes moved back toward baseline after treatment stopped.

4 Aug 2026

Blood filtration method helps clear circulating lipids and toxic microplastics

The machine is not new. Some version of it has run in hospital treatment rooms for about four decades, drawing blood from one arm, separating out the plasma, passing it across a filter or an adsorber, and returning it to the other arm.

4 Aug 2026

Restricting select amino acids may mimic protein restriction’s healthy aging benefits

A review finds that restricting protein, particularly methionine, isoleucine, and valine, may improve metabolism and influence key aging pathways, largely in experimental models. Short human studies suggest metabolic benefits, but effects on lifespan remain unknown and restriction may harm people with unmet or increased protein needs.

3 Aug 2026

Daily tomatoes lowered a key marker of liver fat in MASLD trial

An exploratory randomized trial found that 200 g of raw tomatoes plus 50 g of tomato sauce daily for six weeks produced a greater reduction in CAP-defined hepatic steatosis than a tomato-free diet in adults with MASLD. The improvement occurred without major weight or metabolic changes, but larger and longer trials are needed to confirm its clinical significance.

2 Aug 2026

Researchers propose new framework to define clinical obesity

A new approach to defining obesity could help physicians better determine which patients need more intensive treatment by focusing on the effects of excess adiposity on organs and tissues rather than relying primarily on whether a person meets a set of metabolic risk thresholds.

31 Jul 2026

Father's diet before conception impacts baby's body composition

A father's diet can affect his children's health and body composition before they are even conceived. A study of 43 triads of fathers, mothers, and newborns treated in the public healthcare system of Ribeirão Preto in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, demonstrated this.

28 Jul 2026

Nutritional quality matters more than processing level for long-term health

What makes a diet healthy-or not? According to a new study, nutritional quality matters more than processing level when it comes to long-term health.

28 Jul 2026

Genetic factors influence cholesterol response to low-carb diets

Can a low-carb diet cause your cholesterol to skyrocket? This question has vexed researchers and influencers alike as the popularity of low-carbohydrate diets has surged, yet the evidence has remained mixed.

27 Jul 2026

Duke University engineers use robots and AI to improve gut health

Biomedical engineers at Duke University have demonstrated a method for systematically developing novel, complex combinations of probiotics and prebiotics to more effectively maintain gut health and treat various gastrointestinal diseases.

27 Jul 2026

Evidence shows artificial sweeteners cannot be judged as a single group

This narrative review found that non-nutritive artificial sweeteners have compound-specific and context-dependent associations with gut microbiota, metabolism, and health-related outcomes. Evidence does not support treating all sweeteners as uniformly harmful or safe, with human findings often limited or inconsistent.

23 Jul 2026

Study finds greater social jetlag linked to a later eating pattern

In a 14-day study of 101 healthy UK adults, greater social jetlag was associated with a later distribution of energy intake, particularly greater late-evening intake among women. The effects were modest, varied by sex and day type, and did not establish whether total daily energy intake differed between groups.

23 Jul 2026