Posted on 01/02/2022 2:06:59 PM PST by ConservativeMind
A study has revealed new insights into how a diet rich in red meat increases risk for cardiovascular disease.
In previous studies, Dr. Hazen found that a byproduct that forms when gut bacteria digest certain nutrients abundant in red meat and other animal products—called TMAO (trimethylamine N-oxide)—increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
In 2018, Dr. Hazen published results showing that dietary carnitine is converted into TMAO in the gut through a two-step, two microbe process. An intermediary metabolite in this process is a molecule called γBB (gamma-butyrobetaine).
According to Dr. Hazen, multiple gut microbes can convert dietary carnitine to γBB, but very few can transform the molecule to TMA, the precursor to TMAO. "In omnivores, Emergencia timonensis is the primary human gut microbe involved in the transformation of γBB to TMA/TMAO. Conversely, long-term vegetarians and vegans have very low levels of this microbe in their gut and therefore have minimal to no capacity to convert carnitine into TMAO."
The researchers studied the relationship between fasting plasma γBB levels and disease outcomes using samples and clinical data collected from nearly 3,000 patients. Higher γBB levels were associated with cardiovascular disease and major adverse events including death, non-fatal heart attack or stroke.
"By studying patient samples, we saw that the abundance of gbuA [a gene] is significantly associated with a diet rich in red meat and plasma TMAO levels," said Dr. Hazen. "Patients who transitioned to a non-meat diet went on to exhibit reduced gut microbial levels of gbuA. Taken together, this suggests that dietary modifications may help reduce diet- and TMAO- associated cardiovascular disease risk. Likewise, the role of the gbu gene cluster may be worth exploring as a potential therapeutic target."
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
Give me ribeye, or give me death.
Naw, that would be conservative mind’s thread! I’m just trying to get people to see the possiblities.
(Italian food is good food! (I am not Italian!))
Naw, that would be conservative mind’s thread! I’m just trying to get people to see the possiblities.
(Italian food is good food! (I am not Italian!))
She is smiling at the next post though CJ, yours! :)
Glad I alternate with sausage.
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