Meat Intake in Relation to Metabolomic Signatures, Gut Microbiome, and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: A Narrative...

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Nutritional Science
• Microbiome Research

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a major global health concern, with diet being a key modifiable risk factor.
• Current dietary guidelines suggest limiting red meat, but research findings on its cardiovascular impact are inconsistent.
• Recent advances in metabolomics and microbiome research offer new insights into meat's influence on cardiovascular health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the relationship between meat intake, metabolomic profiles, and the gut microbiome in the context of CVD risk.
• To synthesize findings from observational and interventional studies on meat consumption and cardiovascular health.
• To identify knowledge gaps and suggest future research directions.

Main Methods:

• A narrative review of articles published up to June 11, 2025.
• Searches conducted in PubMed and ScienceDirect databases.
• Selection and in-depth analysis of 74 relevant studies.

Main Results:

• Red meat intake is associated with elevated levels of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a metabolite linked to increased CVD risk.
• Diets high in red and processed meats generally show reduced gut microbiome diversity compared to chicken consumption.
• Meat-derived metabolites like TMAO and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) play a role in CVD pathogenesis, modulated by gut microbiota.

Conclusions:

• Evidence suggests red meat consumption may negatively impact cardiovascular health through TMAO production and gut microbiome alterations.
• Further research with larger sample sizes, multi-omics approaches, and mediation analyses is warranted.
• Short-term randomized clinical trials are needed to definitively establish the role of meat consumption in CVD risk.