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Intestinal microbiota metabolism of l-carnitine, a nutrient in red meat, promotes atherosclerosis
- Koeth, Robert A;
- Wang, Zeneng;
- Levison, Bruce S;
- Buffa, Jennifer A;
- Org, Elin;
- Sheehy, Brendan T;
- Britt, Earl B;
- Fu, Xiaoming;
- Wu, Yuping;
- Li, Lin;
- Smith, Jonathan D;
- DiDonato, Joseph A;
- Chen, Jun;
- Li, Hongzhe;
- Wu, Gary D;
- Lewis, James D;
- Warrier, Manya;
- Brown, J Mark;
- Krauss, Ronald M;
- Tang, WH Wilson;
- Bushman, Frederic D;
- Lusis, Aldons J;
- Hazen, Stanley L
Published Web Location
https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.3145Abstract
The long-noted association of red meat with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease may be due to ingestion of a specific compound found in red meat, l-carnitine. The ability of this compound to promote atherosclerosis in mice requires that it be further metabolized by the gut microbiota. In humans, omnivores but not vegans or vegetarians metabolize l-carnitine in this manner, a difference which may be explained by effects of diet on the presence of specific types of bacteria in the gut.
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