Gut Bacteria A Likely Accomplice In Red Meat’s Heart Risk

Oct 20, 2022

By Julie Corliss

Research we're watching

Eating red meat has long been linked to a higher risk of heart disease. New evidence suggests that breakdown products created by gut bacteria when people eat red meat may contribute to this heightened risk.

The results were gleaned from years of data from nearly 4,000 people ages 65 and older. All were part of a study begun in 1989 to look at risk factors for heart disease; the follow-up lasted a median of 12.5 years. Fish, poultry, and eggs were not associated with an elevated risk of heart disease. But every 1.1 servings of red meat per day was linked to a 22% higher risk of heart disease.

About 10% of this added risk was explained by increased levels of three metabolites — called TMAO, gamma-butyrobetaine, and crotonobetaine — made by gut bacteria from nutrients abundant in meat, say the study authors, who reported their results in the September 2022 issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.

Source : harvard.edu

Video: Sweetener Effects on Gut Health - Dr. Kwangwook Kim

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Kwangwook Kim, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, discusses the use of non-nutritive sweeteners in nursery pig diets. He explains how sucralose and neotame influence feed intake, gut health, metabolism, and the frequency of diarrhea compared to antibiotics. The conversation highlights mechanisms beyond palatability, including hormone signaling and nutrient transport. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Receptors responsible for sweet taste are present not only in the mouth but also along the intestinal tract.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Kwangwook Kim / kwangwook-kim is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, specializing in swine nutrition and feed additives under disease challenge models. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of California, Davis, where he focused on intestinal health and metabolic responses in pigs. His research evaluates alternatives to antibiotics, targeting gut health and performance in nursery pigs.