Association between Plasma Trimethylamine N-Oxide Levels and Type 2 Diabetes: A Case Control Study

Area of Science:

• Metabolomics
• Endocrinology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Conflicting evidence exists on the link between trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and Type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk.
• Understanding this relationship is crucial for diabetes prevention and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare plasma TMAO levels between individuals with and without T2D.
• To investigate the association between TMAO levels and T2D risk.

Main Methods:

• Prospective case-control study with 297 participants (133 T2D cases, 164 controls).
• Plasma TMAO quantified using UPLC-MS/MS.
• Adjustments made for age, BMI, education, physical activity, and diet.

Main Results:

• Plasma TMAO levels were significantly higher in T2D cases compared to controls (p < 0.001).
• TMAO association with T2D remained significant after adjusting for confounders (p = 0.04).
• Highest quartile of TMAO (>6.40 µmol/L) showed a significant association with diabetes risk (OR = 3.36, p = 0.02) after full adjustment.
• Red meat consumption correlated with higher TMAO in T2D patients.

Conclusions:

• Plasma TMAO levels are associated with T2D.
• Elevated TMAO, particularly at higher levels and potentially influenced by diet (red meat), may indicate increased diabetes risk.
• Further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm the TMAO-T2D correlation.