Epidemiologic studies on whole-grain intake and risk of stroke have reported some evidence suggesting a protective effect.

A new study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined whether plasma 3-(3,5-dihydroxyphenyl)-1-propanoic acid (DHPPA)—a biomarker of whole-grain wheat and rye intake, is associated with risk of ischemic stroke.

This was a hospital-based case-control study, conducted from 2011 to 2016, that included 990 cases with first ischemic stroke and an equal number of matched controls. Concentrations of plasma DHPPA were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Subsequently, the association of plasma DHPPA concentrations with ischemic stroke risk was analyzed.

The findings revealed that plasma DHPPA was inversely associated with ischemic stroke risk. In addition, this inverse association was observed in all subgroups of participants irrespective of their sex, age, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol consumption, history of hypertension, and history of diabetes.

From the results, it was inferred that higher plasma DHPPA concentrations were associated with lower risk of ischemic stroke. It was stated that this finding provides further evidence to support the health benefits of whole-grain consumption.