Do we have a heart microbiome? Why this matters for heart disease prevention

For decades, the heart was considered sterile. But recent research tells a different story.

In healthy people, heart tissue contains little to no microbial activity. But in diseased states—like myocarditis, endocarditis, and heart failure—research is detecting bacterial DNA and microbial components from groups like Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria.

How do they get there?

  1. From our gut and mouth. Leaky gut may = leaky heart as the skin barrier is made from the same cell material

  2. When the gut barrier is compromised or permeable (leaky), microbial toxins like LPS (lipopolysaccharide) leak into the bloodstream, triggering systemic inflammation

  3. Oral pathogens, especially Porphyromonas gingivalis (from gum disease), can also enter circulation and embed in vascular plaques or even heart valves

So gut and mouth microbes don’t need to infect the heart directly. Gum disease or gut dysbiosis could be silently reshaping our heart.

The problem is, their toxins and genetic fragments can cause

  • Chronic inflammation

  • Endothelial dysfunction

  • Atherosclerosis

  • Immune-triggered tissue damage

In people suffering chronic heart failure or after a heart attack, higher levels of LPS and bacterial metabolites like TMAO have been linked to worse outcomes.

Oral health and gut integrity are critical to heart health. This is how to protect the heart

  1. Have good oral hygiene

  2. Support the gut lining

  3. Eat low-inflammatory, fibre-rich, polyphenol-rich foods

  4. Avoid excess sugar, alcohol, and ultra-processed foods

  5. Eat plenty of Omega 3 fats, and/or take a quality EPA/DHA/SPM

Our heart is more than a pump. It's a dynamic organ influenced by our microbes—near and far.