Chemicals produced in the digestive tract by gut microbes after eating red meat may help explain part of the higher risk of cardiovascular disease associated with red meat consumption, reports The Boston Globe.
The article, written by Martin Finucane, cites new research published in the American Heart Association’s peer-reviewed journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.
According to the study:
- Chemicals produced in the digestive tract by gut microbes after eating red meat (such as beef, pork, bison, venison) explained a significant portion of the higher risk of cardiovascular disease associated with higher red meat consumption.
- High blood sugar and inflammation may also contribute to higher cardiovascular risk associated with red meat consumption, however, blood pressure and cholesterol were not associated with the higher CVD risk associated with red meat consumption.
- General consumption of fish, poultry and eggs was not associated with increased cardiovascular risk.
Read the full Globe story here.