Rhonda Patrick· PhD
Specific type of gut bacteria metabolizes carnitine from red meat to TMAO, which increases athlerosclerosis via immune mechanism
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The headline is broadly defensible, but the qualifications matter. Effect sizes vary by population, the strongest claims rest on shorter trials, and credible voices push back on how it's typically framed.
Specific type of gut bacteria metabolizes carnitine from red meat to TMAO, which increases athlerosclerosis via immune mechanism
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So in this particular case, we're talking about a connection between dietary compounds such as choline and carnitine, which are digested by the microbes into a compound called TMA, which then influxes into the host and is further converted by the host...by the liver of the host into TMAO, and this TMAO swims into the circulation where in some instances, it could impact macrophages that form plaques that are responsible for atherosclerosis and it's potentially devastating health effects, heart disease, brain disease, kidney disease, and more.
And there's one compound that I've been following for a while and I continue to follow, and it's a compound that is associated with atherosclerosis and heart disease. It's TMAO and it's produced from precursors like L-carnitine or even choline which are found in red meat and eggs respectively.