Do Certain Gut Bacteria Increase Your Risk of Heart Disease? – IGY power supply

Heart disease has long been linked to high cholesterol, blood pressure and poor diet, but what if your gut bacteria also play a role? Recent research has uncovered a surprising link between the microbes in your gut and your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. In particular, certain bacteria appear to produce compounds that can increase inflammation, damage blood vessels and promote plaque buildup.

Let’s see what scientists have discovered about how gut bacteria affect heart health.

The culprit: TMAO and its microbial origins

One of the most studied gut-derived compounds linked to heart disease is TMAO (trimethylamine-N-oxide) (1). This substance is produced when certain gut bacteria break down nutrients like choline, lecithin and carnitine, which are commonly found in red meat, eggs and dairy products (2).

Here’s how it works:

1. You eat a meal that contains choline or carnitine.
2. Specific intestinal bacteria convert these compounds into trimethylamine (TMA).
3. Your liver converts TMA into TMAO.
4. TMAO enters your bloodstream and, according to studies, may contribute to arterial plaque buildup, inflammation and reduced cholesterol metabolism (2).

Higher blood levels of TMAO have been consistently linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke (3).

This does not mean that choline and carnitine are necessarily bad for you. Instead, this research seems to imply that the problem is an inappropriate level of its conversion to TMA by gut bacteria.

Which bacteria are involved?

Not all bacteria produce TMA. Research shows that certain strains in the Firmicutes and Proteobacteria phyla are more likely to convert choline and carnitine to TMA (4).

At the same time, other gut microbes can actually help lower TMAO levels by:

• Compete with TMA-producing species for resources
• Promotion of anti-inflammatory activity
• Improving the integrity of the intestinal barrier, which helps prevent systemic inflammation

What you can do to protect your intestines and your heart

If you’re concerned about cardiovascular health, consider taking steps that support both your heart and your microbiome:

1. Eat more prebiotic fiber

Foods like oats, garlic, onions, leeks and asparagus feed beneficial bacteria that can help reduce TMAO-producing populations (5).

2. Limit red meat and processed foods

Reducing intake of carnitine-rich foods can directly decrease TMAO production.

3. Increase fermented foods

Kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir and yogurt introduce beneficial microbes that help diversify the microbiome.

4. Try targeted supplements

Emerging supplements such as IgY-based products may help reduce populations of inflammatory or harmful bacteria while supporting microbial balance.

5. Prioritize gut diversity

The more diverse your gut microbiome, the more resilient and protective it becomes.

Final thoughts

Your gut bacteria may do more than just digest your food. It can also affect your long-term cardiovascular health. Understanding the role of gut compounds like TMAO and the microbes that produce them can help you make smarter diet and lifestyle choices that protect both your heart and your microbiome.

Discover gut-focused strategies to support whole-body wellness igynutrition.com.

References

1. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2023.1085041/full
2. https://www.nature.com/articles/nature09922
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31918665/
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25784704/
5. https://translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12967-025-06806-7