Assessment of Vascular Function in Response to High-Fat and Low-Fat Ground Beef Consumption in Men

Red meat is stigmatized as an unhealthy protein choice; however, its impacts on vascular function have not been evaluated. We aimed to measure the vascular impact of adding either low-fat (similar to 5% fat) ground beef (LFB) or high-fat (similar to 25% fat) ground beef (HFB) to a habitual diet in free-living men. Twenty-three males (39.9 +/- 10.8 years, 177.5 +/- 6.7 cm, 97.3 +/- 25.0 kg) participated in this double-blind crossover study. Assessment of vascular function and aerobic capacity were measured at entry and in the last week of each intervention and washout period. Participants then completed two 5-week dietary interventions (LFB or HFB; 5 patties/week) in a randomized order with a 4-week washout. Data were analyzed via 2 x 2 repeated-measures ANOVA (p < 0.05). The HFB intervention improved FMD relative to all other time points, while lowering systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) relative to entry. Neither the HFB nor the LFB altered pulse wave velocity. The addition of either low- or high-fat ground beef did not negatively alter vascular function. In fact, consuming HFB improved FMD and BP values, which may be mediated by lowering LDL-C concentrations.