Study Finds Gut Health Linked To Heart Disease Risk

Illustration of heart health and digestive system (Unsplash/Usman Yousaf)

JAKARTA – Intestinal health is influenced by the number of microbiomes that are beneficial for the digestive system. The healthier the gut, the study found, the lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Reported by Everyday Health, Tuesday, August 10, research that finds the facts above is currently underway. While publishing the good news that you need to take steps to improve the gut microbiome.

This step can be done by following a diet and consuming certain supplements. The goal is to reduce the risk of heart failure, plaque buildup in the arteries, and other cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes.

The body consists of trillions of microorganisms, which is called the microbiome. Mostly bacteria, but there are also fungi and other organisms. On average, each person has 38 trillion bacteria, most of which live in the gut or digestive tract.

Of the many bacteria, most are considered beneficial to help the digestive system work and defend the body from more harmful organisms.

Raphael Kellman, MD, a physician of integrative and functional medicine, says that there is significant evidence that the gut microbiome is involved in human health in almost all diseases.

"Cardiovascular disease, which is associated with the highest morbidity and mortality worldwide, is no exception," Kellman adds.

Barrows, MD, a cardiology team at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, says that 70 percent of the body's inflammatory cells are housed in associated gut tissue.

"So gut bacteria have an influence on the inflammatory role of the gut and the rest of the body," says Borrows.

When inflammation occurs in the intestines, harmful substances that should not leave the intestines are released and enter the bloodstream. It causes an inflammatory reaction wherever the harmful substance stops. The impact is quite bad, such as plaque and atherosclerosis appear.

The analysis was conducted on 19 studies published in the Journal of the American Heart Association on an inflammatory marker, called trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO).

The researchers found that increased TMAO was associated with a 62 percent higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The study, published in June 2017, also found a 63 percent higher risk of death.

Another review, published in the European Heart Journal, found that high levels of TMAO in the blood had a 67 percent higher risk of cardiovascular events.

According to Kellman, it is important to note that according to available data there are other factors involved, namely blood pressure, cholesterol, or triglycerides.

To maintain a healthy gut microbiome, two supplements, namely probiotics and prebiotics, need to be taken. Probiotics contain beneficial bacteria while prebiotics contain substances that can promote the growth of beneficial bacteria.

Illustration of healthy food for the digestive system (Unsplash/Brenda Godinez)

These supplements, according to Kellman, are found in certain foods. Based on the recommendations of the Center for Applied Nutrition at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, these foods include the following:

Asparagus Leeks Garlic Shallots Apples Bananas Cocoa beans

It is also important to avoid processed foods, carbohydrates, sugar, and excess fat. Plus, keep the psychological condition to avoid stress.