The Gut-Heart Attack Connection Via TMAO
Is a leaky gut a cause for heart attacks? Gut microbes live symbiotically within the human digestive tract and play important roles in host defense, immunity and nutrient processing and absorption. Trimethylamine (TMA) present in the western diet can be transported across the intestinal mucosal barrier in too high a concentration and converted in the liver to trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) which has been directly linked to the development of atherosclerosis and heart attacks, strokes and death. Nature 2011; 472: 57-63, Nat Med 2013; 19: 576-585, N Engl J Med 2013: 368: 1575-1584
At Bailey Family Medical Care, PC we are connecting the dots between vascular inflammation, atherosclerosis (plaque disease), elevated TMAO and “leaky gut” by measuring newly developed blood markers of leaky gut and measuring the diverse community of microorganisms unique to each individual.
Dr. Bailey will be speaking on this topic Monday August 29, 2016 at Atria Park at Sierra Pointe, Scottsdale, AZ at 3 pm.