Does PORK meat increase inflammation?

Summary

Some studies suggest that pork meat, especially when oxidized or processed, increases inflammation and oxidative stress, while other studies indicate that certain components of pork, like water extracts or pig lard, have anti-inflammatory effects.

(This summary is dedicated to a close friend of mine, Cameron; he loves his pork but suffers from severe joint pain. I hope this sheds some light) 🙂 

Introduction

The relationship between pork meat consumption and inflammation has been a subject of scientific investigation. Various studies have explored how different types of pork meat, cooking methods, and consumption levels impact inflammatory responses in both animal models and human subjects.

Key Insights

• Oxidized Pork and Inflammation:

  • High-oxidative damage pork (HOP) increases body weight, induces inflammatory responses, and causes oxidative stress by altering the gut microbiota, leading to increased levels of pro-inflammatory bacteria and decreased beneficial bacteria.

  • HOP intake impairs thyroid hormone function, leading to hepatic steatosis and inflammation.

  • Processed meat proteins promote inflammation and hepatic lipogenesis by upregulating mice's Nrf2/Keap1 signalling pathway.

• General Meat Consumption and Inflammation:

  • Higher meat consumption, particularly processed meat, is associated with higher inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell count (WBCC). These associations are largely due to higher adiposity.

• Pork Meat and Gut Health:

  • Pork meat proteins alter gut microbiota and lipid metabolism genes, leading to colonic oxidative stress and low-grade inflammation.

  • High-fat diets incorporating pork proteins exacerbate gut inflammation and intestinal barrier dysfunction, which in turn aggravates liver injury and fibrosis.

• Anti-inflammatory Effects of Pork Extracts:

  • High concentrations of water extracts from pork meat (WPM) have shown anti-inflammatory effects on primary splenocytes, enhancing immune response and reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion.

  • Compounds isolated from pork lard, such as 5-dodecanolide, exhibit significant anti-inflammatory properties in animal models.

Conclusion

The consumption of pork meat, particularly when oxidized or processed, is generally associated with increased inflammation and oxidative stress, primarily through alterations in gut microbiota and metabolic pathways. However, certain extracts and compounds from pork meat have demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties, suggesting that its preparation method and specific components can influence its inflammatory potential. Overall, the balance between pork meat consumption's pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects appears to be influenced by factors such as cooking methods, fat content, and specific meat extracts.

Sources:

1. Yueting Ge et al. "Oxidized Pork Induces Oxidative Stress and Inflammation by Altering Gut Microbiota in Mice.." Molecular nutrition & food research (2019): e1901012 .

2. Hye-Jin Kim et al. "Anti-inflammatory effect of dietary pork extract on proliferation and cytokine secretion using mouse primary splenocytes.." Food research international, 102 (2017): 710-716 .

3. K. Papier et al. "Higher Meat Intake Is Associated with Higher Inflammatory Markers, Mostly Due to Adiposity: Results from UK Biobank." The Journal of Nutrition, 152 (2021): 183 - 189.

4. Min Zhang et al. "Pork Meat Proteins Alter Gut Microbiota and Lipid Metabolism Genes in the Colon of Adaptive Immune-deficient Mice.." Molecular nutrition & food research (2020): e1901105 .

5. Yueting Ge et al. "Oxidized Pork Induces Hepatic Steatosis by Impairing Thyroid Hormone Function in Mice.." Molecular nutrition & food research (2021): e2100602 .

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