The gut-heart connection & your diet

Intestinal bacteria influence the function of our cells or our body's building blocks, and therefore our organs.

They also represent a metabolically active community (metabolism is the chemical processes that happen in our body). Their composition and function can influence the health of our heart.

The interaction between our intestinal microbiota and heart occurs via these metabolites, or biproducts of gut bacteria activity. The metabolites are reabsorbed in the intestine and distributed throughout the body via our circulation, including to our heart.

The health of our gut flora can thus be a positive or negative factor in cardiovascular disease.

Dysbiosis, or bacterial imbalances (overgrowths and infections of normal and/or pathogenic bacteria, and undergrowths of good bacteria) can be responsible for cardiotoxicity and cardiac inflammation.

How?

Through what we eat, because these bacterial metabolites are actually the BIPRODUCTS OF FOOD. In other words, our diet matters to our heart health via our gut-heart axis.

For example, a high level of Trimethylamine N Oxide (TMAO), is a risk factor for all metabolic disease, including cardiovascular. Dietary carnitine drives the production of microbial trimethylamine (TMA), our highest sources being beef and kangaroo meats. TMA produced by our gut microbes before being transported to our liver where it’s converted into TMAO. Cruciferous vegetables can inhibit this conversion.

Conversely, healthy short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs – the result of bacteria breaking down fibrous foods – are protective metabolites. They're anti-inflammatory, immune supportive and gut healing.

So should stop eating meat?

No. Rather a healthy gut and heart requires you to eat A BALANCE of fibre with proteins and healthy fats at MOST MEALS. This fibre is best when mainly sourced from vegetables and some fruits e.g. berries, apples, citrus. Whole grains, nuts and seeds, and legumes are other possible sources if tolerated.

The message is, eat a balanced diet filled with naturally occurring fibre at most meals. Too much meat can be a problem, but too little fibre is really the key.