Effects of diet-modulated gut microbiota and microbial metabolites in atherosclerosis.
Feng S, Jiang Y, Jiang J, Bian H, Zhu R
Gut Microbiome
PubMedFiber-rich, plant-heavy foods you grow and eat in your garden — from leafy greens to legumes — directly feed the gut bacteria that protect your arteries from dangerous plaque buildup.
Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria that digest your food and release byproducts into your bloodstream. Depending on what you eat, those byproducts can either calm inflammation and keep your blood vessels healthy, or contribute to the fatty deposits that clog arteries and cause heart attacks. Eating more plants and fiber feeds the 'good' bacteria that produce protective chemicals, while a diet heavy in meat and processed food feeds bacteria that raise heart disease risk.
Key Findings
Short-chain fatty acids like butyrate and propionate — produced when gut bacteria ferment dietary fiber — actively reduce artery-clogging inflammation and improve blood vessel function.
Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a compound elevated by high-protein and Western diets, is consistently linked to greater cardiovascular risk in observational studies, though direct cause-and-effect in humans is still unconfirmed.
Plant-derived compounds including saponins, flavonoids, polysaccharides, and alkaloids can reshape gut microbiota composition and enzyme activity, representing a promising but not yet clinically validated strategy against heart disease.
chevron_right Technical Summary
What you eat shapes the bacteria in your gut, and those bacteria produce chemicals that can either protect your heart or raise your risk of artery disease. This review maps out exactly which foods, microbes, and metabolites are driving that connection.
Abstract Preview
Diet is a key regulatory factor for the gut microbiota, profoundly influencing its composition and metabolic activities, and is of great significance to the occurrence and development of atheroscle...
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