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Friday, April 12, 2013

Carnitine may be linked to increased risk of heart disease.


The Wall Street Journal (4/8, Beck, Subscription Publication, 2.29M) reports that, according to a study published in Nature Medicine and sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, carnitine, a substance found in red meat, certain energy drinks, and other foods, may increase the risk of heart disease.
        The New York Times (4/8, Kolata, Subscription Publication, 1.68M) reports that "the investigators' extensive experiments in both humans and animals...have persuaded scientists not connected with the study to seriously consider this new theory of why red meat eaten too often might be bad for people."
        Bloomberg News (4/8, Lopatto) reports that "as bacteria in the gut breaks" carnitine "down, it turns into compound known to harden arteries, according to" the study. Individuals "who eat a lot of meat allow more of the bacteria that convert carnitine to the harmful compound to grow, increasing its effect." The research "followed 2,595 people and measured carnitine levels, as well as those of its byproduct, TMAO."
        The Cleveland Plain Dealer (4/8, 315K) reports, "One of the study's biggest surprises," lead researcher Dr. Stanley Hazen "said, was how large an impact vegan and vegetarian diets had on the formation of TMAO from carnitine; people in the study who did not habitually eat red meat did not produce the plaque-forming TMAO even when they were given large doses of carnitine in the form of a steak or a supplement."
        Meanwhile, Larry Husten writes in Forbes (4/7, 928K) that "studies in mice suggest a possible direct connection between carnitine, bacteria, TMAO, and atherosclerosis. When mice were given carnitine supplements they had the expected increases in bacteria. This resulted in increased production of TMAO, and, eventually, atherosclerosis."
        BBC News (4/8, Gallagher) reports, "Dr Hazen, from the Cleveland Clinic, said TMAO was often ignored: 'It may be a waste product but it is significantly influencing cholesterol metabolism and the net effect leads to an accumulation of cholesterol.'" Also covering the story are HealthDay (4/8, Preidt) and the Daily Mail (UK) (4/8, McDermott).

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