Red Meat Chemical Carnatine Can Increase Possibility Of High Cholesterol Levels and Heart Disease
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Carnatine, a chemical found commonly in red meat, is responsible for the increased risk of heart disease and high cholesterol levels. According to the U.S. scientists in a study published in the Nature Medicine journal, the carnitine is broken up by the gut’s bacteria. So, too much eating of bacon, mince and steak and consumption of carnitine supplements could be harmful to one’s health.
There have been numerous studies done that suggests regular red meat consumption does harm a person’s health.
The UK government suggests persons eat no more than 70g of processed or red meat every day – or two slices of bacon. The preservation process of processed meat and saturated fat are also thought to be culprits of heart problems.
Dr. Stanley Hazen, the lead researcher, said lean red meat’s saturated fat and cholesterol content isn’t very high so there’s something else that is causing the cardiovascular risk increase.
Experiments on both people and mice showed gut bacteria had the ability to eat at carnitine, which was then broken into gas and changed into a chemical known as TMAO by the liver.
The study found that TMAO had a strong tie to fatty deposit build-up in the blood vessels, which has the possibility of causing both heart disease and death.
Hazen said TMAO is general ignored even though it shouldn’t be. He said it’s deemed a waste product but it has plays a huge part on the cholesterol metabolism. Thus, its net effect can cause the buildup of cholesterol.
The study finds that it’s a good idea to consume less red meat.
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