The FastDay Forum

[carorees]

Anyone seen this report?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22042995
Also reported in New Scientist

mice ?

[carorees]

A human study was mentioned...perhaps that's in the New Scientist article...

I tried to read it. It starts off looking for something to do with red meat that can explain an observational association between cardiovascular disease and red meat intake which isn't down to cholesterol or saturated fat - as the meta-studies rule this out statistically as the cause.

They identify (or pick at random) Carnitine as a by-product of meat eating and consider how it is digested by gut bacteria etc. The modest amount of clinical study is on mice to see the effect of carnitine in the diet, and the odd dose-response test of humans and vegans to carnitine and steak.

So it's kind of the evolution of a hypothesis that meat eating involves more carnitine and gut flora in meat eaters reflects that so eating more meat produces more stuff that impacts cardiovascular disease.

At least that's what I understood.

According to this NYTimes article, there is a particular gut bacteria that releases a chemical that gets converted in the liver to TMAO after a person eats carnitine (either on its own or in red meat).
NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/08/healt ... ef=general
original research article: http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/vaop/n ... .3145.html

I saw it on TV here in USA and the final thought was that they could not say that only 1 thing is the cause of cardiovascular disease but probably a combination of multiple things.

Well, I take l-carnitine as a supplement to control the residual pain of fibromyalgia. It makes a huge difference to my quality of life.

And if you take alpha-lipoic acid with it, it's supposed to help with anti-ageing - or so other scientific research says.

They can't make up their minds.

As with most things, I suspect that red meat in moderation isn't going to hurt.

Although given that I went out for steak last night at the Gaucho Grill that was mouthwateringly delicious, it might be wishful thinking.

I heard an interview about it on NPR. Sounds like interesting research into what effects the different bacteria in our gut have on our bodies, but not something to change your diet over. The biggest risk factors are still obesity and high cholesterol, etc. So losing weight, exercising and enjoying everything in moderation still seems to be the best way to improve health. Even the researcher said he still eats red meat two or three times a week!

Eat it in moderation is good advice for alot of things, I guess (except vegetables). I used to be a vegetarian, but I definitely couldn't give up red meat completely again. There is a really great steak and seafood teppanyaki place near my house that I go to about once every 2 months.