Gut Microbe Response to Red Meat May Impact Heart Disease Risk

A press statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) proposes reasons why red meat is correlated with an increased risk of heart disease. Based on an article from the journal of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology (ATVB), this release suggests that chemicals released by gut microbes as they digest red meat may be a factor.

According to the CDC, heart disease — an all-encompassing term for various cardiovascular conditions — is the leading cause of death in the United States. In 2020, 697,000 people in the US died of heart disease.

In addition to the mortality risk, heart disease is an economic burden, with an average annual price tag of $229 billion.

In recent years, numerous publications and health organizations have found associations between the consumption of red meat and the risk of heart disease.

According to the NIH, people who eat red meat daily are three times more likely to develop heart disease than people who do not eat red meat.

Additionally, a study from the University of Oxford found that just 50 g of unprocessed red meat per day increases the risk of coronary artery disease by 9% and that the risk percentage doubles for the same amount (50 g) of processed red meat.

Despite the understanding of the correlation, researchers were previously uncertain of the cause, although many hypothesized that chemicals released by gut microbes such as trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) contributed to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease.

Based on the press release, the ATVB study examined metabolites in the blood, blood sugar, blood pressure, inflammation, cholesterol, and dietary habits.

“They found that eating more meat, especially red meat and processed meat, was linked to a higher risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease — a 22% higher risk for about every 1.1 serving per day,” stated the AHA release.

Researchers in this publication concluded that one-tenth of the elevated risk is due to TMAO and its derivatives.

“Research efforts are needed to better understand the potential health effects of L-carnitine and other substances in red meat such as heme iron, which has been associated with type 2 diabetes, rather than just focusing on saturated fat,” said co-lead author of the study Meng Wang, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston in the AHA release.

While this study had some limitations, it further emphasized the importance of nutrition science and diet in managing chronic and potentially fatal diseases.