Gut bacteria make red meat bad for the heart
Digesting animal proteins creates byproducts that spike the risk of cardiovascular disease
Nutritionists advise that red meat should be eaten in moderation, because too much spike the risk of cardiovascular disease.
But, how?
Scientists aren’t entirely sure. One camp says it’s the saturated fat in animal proteins, while others say that everything from meat additives like salt and nitrates to those charred bits on barbequed meat are to blame.
The bottom line is that there isn’t enough evidence to support one theory over another.
Now, researchers from Tufts University have identified a new, somewhat unlikely mechanism: when we eat meat, bacteria in the gut churn out distinct metabolites. It’s these byproducts that raise blood pressure, decrease insulin sensitivity, and ‘bad’ cholesterol.
“These findings help answer long-standing questions on mechanisms linking meats to risk of cardiovascular diseases,” said Meng Wang, a postdoctoral fellow at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.
“The interactions between red meat, our gut microbiome, and the bioactive metabolites they generate seem to be an important pathway for risk, which creates a new target for possible interventions to reduce…
