Virta Health, the leader in reversing metabolic disease, today announced new peer-reviewed research published in Cardiology and Therapy which shows members following Virta’s individualized nutrition therapy and AI-powered, continuous clinical care had a 56% lower risk of major cardiovascular events, including heart attack, stroke and death, than those receiving standard care. These results are independent of the use of medications, such as GLP-1s.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261112534564/en/

Cardiovascular disease remains high among adults with metabolic diseases like obesity and type 2 diabetes. Despite medications, those living with type 2 diabetes are twice as likely to develop and die from heart disease or stroke,1 while annual direct and indirect costs of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the U.S. exceed $400 billion2, creating a massive financial burden for employers and the healthcare system.

Virta researchers analyzed more than 9,750 adults with type 2 diabetes or obesity and no prior history of heart disease. Compared to similar adults receiving standard medical care, members using the Virta Method, which pairs personalized nutrition with AI-powered, continuous clinical care, saw dramatic reductions in major cardiovascular events:

  • 56% lower risk of a heart attack, stroke, or death

  • 48% lower risk of experiencing any major heart emergency, including heart attacks, strokes, bypass surgeries, or being hospitalized for heart failure

  • 30% lower risk of developing any new heart disease

  • 19% lower risk of developing high blood pressure

  • No increased risk of irregular heartbeats or other heart rhythm issues

“For decades, the standard of care has treated metabolic conditions, like cardiovascular disease, in silos, relying on an ever-growing list of medications to manage individual symptoms rather than addressing the underlying root cause,” said Dr. Kristin Bergethon, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Virta Health. “For employers and health plans facing unsustainable healthcare costs, this research shows that a nutrition-first approach, when paired with our AI-enabled continuous clinical oversight, does far more than lower blood sugar or weight. These findings suggest Virta can help prevent the cardiovascular events that drive one of the highest human and financial costs in healthcare today.”

The study adds to the broader clinical evidence around the safety of Virta’s individualized nutrition therapy and heart health. In this analysis, no signal of increased cardiovascular risk was observed in Virta participants. Instead, the opposite was found, with the study demonstrating an association with lower rates of cardiovascular events across high-risk populations.

“Prior nutrition and lifestyle trials have shown improvements in cardiometabolic biomarkers, but translating those improvements into fewer clinical cardiovascular events in routine practice has historically been difficult to demonstrate. In this large, real-world matched cohort, individualized carbohydrate-reduced nutrition delivered via telemedicine was consistently associated with lower rates of major adverse cardiovascular events and new-onset hypertension, reinforcing the vital role of structured, physician-supervised nutrition therapy in primary cardiovascular prevention,” said Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, MD, MS, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, and senior author of the paper.

Whole Body Metabolic Health Benefits

Virta’s astonishing outcomes are consistently validated across top medical journals. The newest research in Cardiology and Therapy is the fifth published, peer-reviewed study from Virta this year. It adds to Virta’s growing library of scientific evidence proving a nutrition first approach can drive significant metabolic health improvements, without GLP-1s.

  • Kidneys: Virta participants had a 36% lower risk of a new chronic kidney disease diagnosis and a 62% lower risk of stage 4 disease.

  • Liver: Virta members experienced 45% to 75% lower rates of serious liver disease and complications.

  • Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer: Virta’s nutrition-based care extends survival by 34% when paired alongside chemotherapy.

  • Inflammation: 90% of inflammatory markers improved (19 of 21), with outcomes largely sustained at two years for Virta members.

To read the full peer-reviewed study in Cardiology and Therapy, visit: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40119-026-00478-0.

Roberts, C.G.P., Shanmugam, P.V., Athinarayanan, S.J. et al. Cardiovascular Outcomes Among Adults with Type 2 Diabetes or Obesity Receiving Carbohydrate-Reduced Nutrition via Telemedicine: A Retrospective Claims-Based Cohort Study. Cardiol Ther (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40119-026-00478-0.

________________________

1ttps://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention-type-2/stop-diabetes-complications.html

2tps://www.heart.org/en/-/media/PHD-Files-2/Science-News/2/2025-Heart-and-Stroke-Stat-Update/2025-Statistics-At-A-Glance.pdf

About Virta Health

Virta Health is the leader in reversing metabolic disease. Through its AI-powered platform, Virta combines personalized nutrition, GLP-1 optimization, and clinical support to deliver metabolic care at scale. Virta partners with the nation’s largest employers, payers, and pharmacy benefit managers to help members live longer, healthier lives, while reducing or eliminating the need for medications. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Virta is on a mission to reverse metabolic disease in one billion people. For more information, visit www.virtahealth.com.

Media gallery

About The Author
Business Wire