Effect of ingestion of meat on plasma cholesterol of vegetarians

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Abstract
In a controlled trial, 21 strict vegetarians were studied prospectively for 8 wk: a 2 wk control period of the usual vegetarian diet was followed by 4 wk, during which 250 g of beef was added isocalorically to the daily vegetarian diet and then by 2 wk of the control diet. Plasma high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol did not change during the study; plasma total cholesterol rose significantly by 19% at the end of the meat-eating period. Systolic blood pressure (BP) increased significantly during the meat eating by 3% over control values; diastolic BP showed no major changes. Plasma renin activity, prostaglandin A and E levels, and urinary kallikrein, norepinephrine and epinephrine excretions were within normal limits and did not change notably throughout the trial. An adverse effect of consumption of beef on plasma lipid and BP levels was suggested.