Do you have abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, bad breath, indigestion and other symptoms? If it happens once in a while, it may not attract your attention.If it occurs frequently, you must pay attention, these symptoms are likely to beheart diseaseprecipitating factors.
You may wonder, is it really that serious, is it exaggerating?Have you ever thought about it, it will appear for a long timestomachproblem, probablyGut bacteriamanifestations of group disorder.
scientists areGut bacteriaLong-term in-depth research has found that intestinal flora imbalance has complex connections with multiple systems in the body. In August 2021, a study published in “Science” showed that when the balance of intestinal bacteria is disturbed, the body will produce aheart diseasemetabolites.[1]
Now you may understand that the imbalance of intestinal bacteria is not a trivial matter, and it is closely related to the incidence of heart disease.
Gut microbiome and heart disease are both familiar to you. But you may be a little unfamiliar with the term “heart-gut axis”. What is the heart-gut axis? It’s not actually a real axis. This crosstalk between the gut and the heart is called the gut-heart axis, and it emphasizes the interconnectedness between gut and heart functions.
So why does a bad gut cause heart disease? Is there any way to prevent it? This article takes you through it once.
Gut bacteria imbalance can cause heart disease!
“There are complex interactions between the microbes in our gut and most of our body’s systems, including the vascular, neural, endocrine, and immune systems. All of these relationships are highly relevant to cardiovascular health,” says Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Dr. JoAnn Manson, director of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said.[2]
Both heart failure and atherosclerosis may be associated with a bad gut.
One culprit: trimethylamine oxide
What exactly causes heart disease, you may ask?
When it comes to the link between the gut and heart disease, one substance has to be mentioned: trimethylamine.
In 2019, a team from the Hebrew University of Israel found that under normal conditions, gut bacteria prevent the occurrence and progression of atherosclerosis by improving lipid metabolism. However, following short- or long-term consumption of a high-fat diet, the gut microbiota metabolizes choline and L-carnitine (both common in red meat) to trimethylamine (TMA), which is subsequently converted to oxidized in the liver Trimethylamine (TMAO), a substance closely linked to the formation of arterial blocking plaques (atherosclerosis) and serious cardiovascular disease.[3][4]
A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in 2017 pooled the results of 19 studies. People with the highest TMAO levels were 62 percent more likely to develop serious cardiovascular problems compared to those with the lowest TMAO levels. High TMAO levels were also associated with higher mortality.[5]
For every 10-μmol/L increase in TMAO, this metabolite increased the relative risk of all-cause death by 7.6%.[6]
besides,gutinflammationis also a factor that cannot be ignored.
In daily life, lack of sleep, overeating, physical trauma, intestinal infection, food poisoning, etc., these factors may cause some degree of intestinalinflammation。
The researchers found that the more inflamed the gut, the higher the risk of heart disease and atherosclerosis.
The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in the regulation and function of the gut barrier, and disturbances in the gut microbiota may lead to disruption of the gut barrier, leading to cardiovascular disease. In addition, the complex interaction between gut microbes and systemic hormones is also an important risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease in the future.
2 ways to improve gut bacteria and prevent heart disease
The following two methods can effectively reduce the risk of heart disease.
1. Eat less red meat, reduce TMAO, improve heart disease
Vegetarians and vegans who avoid meat products have very little TMAO in the body. To reduce TMAO levels, minimize your intake of whole dairy products, including whole milk, egg yolks, cream cheese, and butter; processed and unprocessed red meats (beef, pork, lamb, and veal), and those containing choline , phosphatidylcholine (lecithin) or L-carnitine nutritional supplements and energy drinks.
2. Eat moreDietary fiberallowing intestinal bacteria to produce short-chain fatty acids
Dietary fiberwhat’s the effect?
In general, dietary fiber refers to a variety of plant substances that resist the action of digestive enzymes. Because dietary fiber is neither digested and absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract, nor does it produce energy. Therefore, it was once considered a “non-nutritive product” and has not received enough attention for a long time.
However, with the in-depth study of nutrition and related sciences, people gradually found that dietary fiber has a very important physiological role. For example, it absorbs water and expands, and it also increases satiety and prolongs gastric emptying.
In recent years, scientists have also discovered that gut bacteria can ferment certain fibers to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are important for intestinal homeostasis, reduce intestinal inflammation, and play an important role in preventing cardiovascular disease.[7]
Short-chain fatty acids may support health by reducing the risk of colorectal cancer, reducing digestive symptoms, promoting a healthy weight, improving blood sugar control, and other health benefits.
However, as people’s dietary structure becomes more and more refined, insufficient dietary fiber intake has become a concern.
In your daily life, look for foods that are high in fiber, such as beans, green beans, avocados, apples, oats, and citrus fruits.
Here’s how many grams (g) of fiber are in one serving of high-fiber foods:
• ½ cup black beans: 6 grams
• 1 medium apple: 2 grams
• 1 package of instant oatmeal: 4 grams
• 1/2 avocado: 5 grams
• 1 medium orange: 3 grams
• 1 medium russet potato (potato): 3 grams
• 1 cup carrots: 4 grams
• 1 cup green beans: 3 grams
• 1 cup cauliflower: 3 grams
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Responsible editor: Li Qingfeng