Contrary to popular belief, physicians don’t only test you and me, they often turn the table on each other and make their stories the subject of health investigations: they are people too and have health issues just like their patients. Several thousand male physicians took part in the Physicians’ Health Study in 2011 to determine the link between red meat consumption and the risk of heart failure. Not surprising, a positive relation was revealed. The specific conclusion was the higher the red meat consumption, the higher the risk for heart failure. Men are eating red meat because it is a good source of iron. The unfortunate side effect of this food, however, is that it is also a good source of cholesterol and saturated fat which promote diseases like atherosclerosis. What’s a guy to do for iron? Get it from the same source as Mr. Cow and Mr. Sheep.

Ashaye A, Gaziano J, Djoussé L. Red meat consumption and risk of heart failure in male physicians. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2011 Dec;21(12):941-6. doi: 10.1016/ j.numecd.2010.03.009. Epub 2010 Aug 2. PubMed PMID: 20675107; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2974007. –