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Image Source: online.wsj.com |
Previous studies have long since confirmed that red meat can be harmful to the heart. By now, many people know that the saturated fat and the cholesterol in this type of meat contribute to the deterioration of heart health due to the gradual clogging of the arteries.
According to a group of researchers from the Cleaveland Clinic, however, there is more to this phenomenon than what is already known. Fat, it seems, is not the only culprit to increasing heart disease risks – the microbes and bacteria in a person’s gut may also contribute to worsening the condition.
The human gut is full of good bacteria, and recent studies have shown that these microbes can have a significant effect on a person’s health. A person’s diet, meanwhile, has been shown to have an impact on the types of bacteria present and more common in the gut at any given time.
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Image Source: wageningenur.nl |
Following these details, the researchers set out to learn how these microbes responded to a diet that included red meat. They were zeroing in on the compound carnitine, which is present in meat like beef, pork, duck, and lamb, because it was similar in structure to choline. This vitamin-b-group nutrient is metabolized by the gut bacteria into trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which transports cholesterol to the arteries.
The results of the study confirm that a meat-heavy diet does establish a cycle that promotes heart damage. People who eat more meat had more carnitine in their gut, which contributes to the increase of TMAO in their blood.
Fortunately, old advice still applies in order to reverse the trend. Limiting meat intake and substituting vegetables will help reduce the presence of bacteria like carnitine in the gut. With a reduced capacity to synthesize TMAO from carnitine, meat eaters may succeed in reducing their risk of heart disease.
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Image Source: psmag.com |
Satori World Medical, based in San Diego, is a leading provider of high-quality healthcare services to patients nationwide. For more about the developments in the healthcare industry, visit www.satoriworldmed.com.
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