Attention steak lovers -- in a recent study published in the July 15, 2008 issues of BMJ, investigators reported that eating red meat was directly associated with higher blood pressure.

By evaluating 4680 adults aged 40-59 years from 17 population samples from Japan, China, the United Kingdom, and the United States, investigators studied the associations of different types of dietary iron, supplemental iron, and red meat with blood pressure. They found that higher dietary total iron intake was associated with slightly lower blood pressure. While high iron intake from a combination of dietary and supplemental iron was also associated with lower blood pressure, the association was less than with high dietary total iron alone. On the other hand, red meat consumption of 102.6 grams per 24-hour period was associated with higher blood pressure.

The associations between sodium and alcohol intake and blood pressure have been previously established. Until now, the relationship between iron and blood pressure was largely unknown. Red meat is a major food source of a type of iron called heme iron, and additional studies are needed to further establish the relationship between heme iron and higher blood pressure.