Research shows red meat metabolite levels high in acute heart failure patients

Patients with acute heart failure often have high levels of the metabolite trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) – of which red meat is a major dietary source - according to research led by Professor Toru Suzuki from the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences.

Red meat, which has been reported to be associated with cardiovascular disease, is a source of L-carnitine which is broken down by gut bacteria to form TMAO. 

In previous studies TMAO has been association with mortality risk in chronic heart failure but this association in acute heart failure is still unknown.

The team measured circulating TMAO levels in approximately 1,000 patients admitted to University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust with acute heart failure - and the study shows an association between circulating levels of a metabolite of this process with prognosis of acute heart failure.

Professor Suzuki said: “Patients with acute heart failure showed higher levels of the oxidised metabolite TMAO in those that died or had a repeat admission to hospital with heart failure within the first year. Our study shows that higher levels of TMAO, a metabolite of carnitine derived from red meat, is associated with poorer outcomes associated with acute heart failure, one of the main diseases of the heart. This metabolic pathway provides a possible link between how red meat is associated with heart disease.”

An interview with Professor Toru Suzuki about the research is available here: