A study by the University of Washington in the United States has shown that trehalose, a natural sugar found in honey, can alleviate arteriosclerosis and prevent heart disease.

This study was published in the British journal Nature Communications.

Researchers divided mice with atherosclerosis into four groups and injected them with trehalose, other sugars, oral trehalose, and no treatment.

It was found that the diameter of intravascular plaques in mice injected with trehalose was 0.25 millimeters, while in untreated mice, the diameter of intravascular plaques was 0.35 millimeters.

Oral administration of trehalose and injection of other sugars did not cause any changes in vascular plaques in mice.

That is to say, injecting trehalose reduces vascular plaques by about 30% and reduces the degree of vascular sclerosis.

Researchers believe that trehalose can activate a protein called TFEB, prompting macrophages (immune cells in the human body) to engulf plaques.

The first author of the study, Babak Lazani, stated that during the process of atherosclerosis, macrophages attempt to clear the hardened area to repair arterial damage, but inflammatory plaques can hinder the cleaning process.

Trehalose not only enhances the clearing mechanism, but also promotes the production of new clearing mechanisms by macrophages, thereby preventing heart disease. It is understood that mushrooms, lobsters, and shrimp also contain trehalose in their bodies.