Compound In Red Meat, Energy Drinks, Raises Heart Risk Via Gut Bacteria

Researchers in the US have discovered a surprising new connection between red meat and heart risk that involves bacteria living in the gut. Gut bacteria digest L-carnitine, a compound abundant in red meat and added to popular energy drinks, to produce trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), a metabolite already suspected of helping to clog up arteries. Previous studies that have tied red meat consumption to increased cardiovascular risk have shown while some of the raised risk is due to the fat and cholesterol in red meat, these culprits aren't enough to explain all of it...
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Cardiovascular / Cardiology Source Type: news