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Updated: Mar 31, 2026
An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota
Published on: July 31, 2019
Probiotic supplementation and trimethylamine-N-oxide production following a high-fat diet
Nabil E Boutagy1,2,3, Andrew P Neilson2,4, Kristin L Osterberg1,2
1Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that the multi-strain probiotic VSL#3 would attenuate the increase in fasting plasma concentrations of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) following a high-fat diet.
Methods:
Nineteen healthy, non-obese males (18-30 years) participated in the present study. Following a 2-week eucaloric control diet, subjects were randomized to either VSL#3 (900 billion live bacteria) or placebo (cornstarch) during the consumption of a hypercaloric (+1,000 kcal day(-1) ), high-fat diet (55% fat) for 4 weeks. Plasma TMAO, L-carnitine, choline, and betaine (UPLC-MS/MS) were measured at baseline and following a high-fat diet.
Results:
Plasma TMAO significantly increased 89% ± 66% vs. 115% ± 61% in both the VSL#3 and placebo groups, respectively; however, the magnitude of change in plasma TMAO was not different (P > 0.05) between them. Plasma L-carnitine, choline, and betaine concentrations did not increase following the high-fat diet in either group.
Conclusions:
A high-fat diet increases plasma TMAO in healthy, normal-weight, young males. However, VSL#3 treatment does not appear to influence plasma TMAO concentrations following a high-fat diet. Future studies are needed to determine whether other therapeutic strategies can attenuate the production of TMAO.
