A new study sheds light on why people with higher blood levels of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) have a higher risk of heart attack and stroke and tend to die earlier.
Published in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension, the study shows that our gut bacteria metabolize animal products like meat and eggs to release a byproduct that turns into TMAO. Higher blood levels of TMAO are linked to more oxidative stress that makes arteries age faster.
When mice were fed TMAO, their blood vessels aged quickly—12-month-old mice (35 human years) looked like 27-month-old mice (80 human years)! These mice also showed decline in learning and memory.
The researchers suggested a plant-based diet to keep TMAO levels in check.
July 2020
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