The real reason red meat is bad for the heart

Certain chemicals produced by gut bacteria during the processing of red meat can cause inflammation and blood clotting, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Regular hamburger consumption may increase your risk of heart disease and stroke, but not necessarily for the reasons people commonly think, according to Healthday.

A study of nearly 4,000 Americans over the age of 65 conducted by Tuffs University found that the more red meat people eat, the higher their risk of heart disease and stroke.

However, the team found no evidence that the increased risk was due to the traditional culprit being an increase in blood levels of "bad" cholesterol. Instead, they found the risk arose in part from substances produced by the gut microbiome - the trillions of bacteria that reside in the digestive tract.

L-carnitine is a nutrient found in high concentrations in red meat. When bacteria in the digestive tract process L-carnitine, they produce TMAO, a chemical compound that can cause inflammation and blood clotting, and two precursors of TMAO.

Regular consumption of red meat can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. (Photo: healthline.com).

Experts say that for the average person, the finding evokes a familiar message - limit red meat intake.

"This finding reinforces what we've been thinking about eating too much meat and lacking in dietary fiber," Christopher Gardner, a professor at Stanford University (USA), told Healthday.

Professor Gardner is also the Chairman of the Nutrition Committee of the American Heart Association. He stressed that the study provides stronger evidence that gut bacteria and TMAO may be one of the 'pathways' through which red meat contributes to heart disease and stroke.

Meng Wang, a postdoctoral fellow in the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, was one of the study leaders.

As for the relationship between red meat and health, she says, most research has focused on the saturated fat in red meat and its impact on blood cholesterol levels.

Although saturated fat can raise bad cholesterol, scientists are still debating whether the amount of red meat people typically eat affects their risk of heart disease. The new findings support the idea that red meat may cause heart disease through another mechanism.

"It's essential because if researchers can shed light on how red meat is harmful, they can find new ways to reduce the risk of heart and blood vessel disease," Wang said.

A series of studies show that healthy eating habits help people create good gut bacteria. Vegetables, fruits, seeds, whole grains, and soybeans are heart-healthy foods that also contribute to an effective gut microbiome.