Best Foods to Protect Against Atrial Fibrillation

Why Low-Carb Diets May Increase Risk

Certain foods can offer essential protection against the cardiac arrhythmia known as atrial fibrillation. This condition, often abbreviated as Afib, represents the most frequent clinical arrhythmia, affecting millions of American citizens and recognized worldwide as a serious public health issue. It carries a „significant burden” on mortality and morbidity, leading to strokes, heart attacks, and heart failure. Is there a specific diet that can prevent or treat this condition? Recently, I learned what should be avoided. Low-carbohydrate diets are associated with an increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation for several reasons. First, people following a low-carb diet tend to consume fewer anti-inflammatory foods, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. „Reducing the consumption of these anti-inflammatory foods may be one of the key mechanisms explaining the risk” of developing Afib.

Second, a low-carb diet implies an increase in protein and fat intake, which can stimulate oxidative stress (the formation of free radicals), which has been shown to be linked to Afib. Finally, the effect may result from an increased risk of other cardiovascular diseases, which can set the stage for Afib. Indeed, low-carb diets are associated with a higher risk of overall mortality – death from any cause – as well as an increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Recommended Dietary Guidelines

Dietary recommendations for patients with cardiac rhythm disorders are practically the opposite of a low-carb diet: fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, and nuts daily; fish at most a few times a week; eggs, dairy products, and poultry approximately once a week; other meats approximately once a month, partly to reduce saturated and trans fats. You can see the recommendations below and at 1:39 in my video „The Best Diet for Treating Atrial Fibrillation.”

The Power of Plant-Based Diets

Diets based on whole foods and plants, with an emphasis on whole grains, legumes (beans, split peas, lentils, and lentils), vegetables, fruits, and nuts, avoiding most (or all) animal products, can play a special role because they not only maximize protective foods but also exclude animal foods that can be harmful. For example, there is compelling evidence that avoiding certain foods, such as alcohol and dark fish, can beneficially influence atrial fibrillation. This finding regarding dark fish comes from the Framingham Heart Study, which classified „dark fish” as salmon, mackerel, sardines, bluefish, and sardines. In an exploratory analysis, researchers found that participants who consumed more than four portions of dark fish per week had an approximately six-fold increased risk of developing Afib, although general fish consumption did not seem to have any effect.

It is not entirely clear why alcohol is so harmful regarding arrhythmias, but each glass consumed daily may be associated with up to an 8% increase in relative risk of Afib, although coffee or caffeine consumption does not seem to be linked to arrhythmia risk. However, the strength of a plant-based diet lies in managing risk factors for Afib. „Plant-based diets can reduce the likelihood of many traditional risk factors associated with [Afib], including hypertension, hyperthyroidism, obesity, and diabetes.” High blood pressure is one of the major risk factors, accounting for about one-fifth of all new Afib cases. This is where a plant-based diet can bring benefits – it can improve vasodilation (the ability of arteries to naturally dilate), provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, increase potassium intake, and reduce blood viscosity (or „thickening” of the blood).

Alcohol, Caffeine, and Risk Factors

Regarding hyperthyroidism, excluding all animal products from the diet has been associated with a prevalence of hyperthyroidism reduced by half compared to those who consume meat, while vegetarian and fish-only diets were associated with intermediate protection.

Weight Loss and Long-Term Outcomes

Excess body fat may be responsible for another fifth of all Afib cases, but the good news is that significant weight loss is associated with a six-fold greater likelihood of being free of atrial fibrillation. As you can see below and at 4:32 in my video, among overweight participants with Afib, those who lost 10% or more of their body weight had only a 10% chance of still having Afib five years later. In contrast, those who lost less than 3% of their weight – or gained weight – had a 60% chance of still having Afib.

As you can see below and at 4:38 in my video, these are all the risk factors for atrial fibrillation that can be prevented, stopped, or even reversed with a sufficiently healthy plant-based diet: hypertension, type 2 diabetes, obesity, systemic inflammation, and heart disease. „In light of these findings, dietary modifications are of paramount importance.” But you don’t know if they can actually cure atrial fibrillation until you test them. Unfortunately, we only have case reports, but this one is quite compelling: an 82-year-old man with polypharmacy – meaning he was taking a multitude of different medications, due to coronary disease, a history of heart attacks, ischemic cardiomyopathy, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and persistent atrial fibrillation – who presented with cognitive impairment, memory loss, fatigue, and weakness. Now,