Heart & metabolic health
In Debbie's posts, heart and metabolic health keep leading back to the gut and to energy metabolism. A single gut-microbe metabolite, imidazole propionate, links atherosclerosis, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and heart failure, and she highlights practical ways to lower it. She describes heart failure as partly an energy problem, where the heart shifts away from fatty acids and ketones, and she was impressed that human trials show restoring ketones can improve heart function. She also treats microplastics in arterial plaque, homocysteine, and chronic inflammation as underappreciated contributors to cardiovascular disease.
How it connects
Imidazole propionate caused atherosclerosis in mice, independent of cholesterol, and was tied to subclinical atherosclerosis in two human cohorts.
A Gut Metabolite That Drives AtherosclerosisIn heart failure, the heart shifts from fatty acids and ketones to glucose, and human trials of ketone infusions, ketone supplements, and MCT oil improved heart function.
Ketones for heart failureOne study found microplastics in all of the atherosclerotic plaques it sampled, and none in plaque-free aorta.
Microplastics Are a Real ProblemSerum pancreatic enzymes rise in acute heart failure, and in animal shock models, circulating proteases cut insulin receptors and caused insulin resistance, linking autodigestion to metabolic health.
Autodigestion: Are Digestive Enzymes Breaking Down Your Body?About 40% of methyl groups are used to make creatine, so creatine supplements can lower homocysteine, a cardiovascular risk factor.
Longevity for the 99%She notes research pointing to mitochondrial dysfunction at the root of heart failure; in one trial, ubiquinol and/or D-ribose improved heart failure markers.
Research Roundup: Mitochondrial DNA and InflammationInterventions, strongest evidence first
Everyday steps
- Eat a Mediterranean-style diet, which was associated with lower imidazole propionate levels.A Gut Metabolite That Drives Atherosclerosis
- Eat more vegetables and fiber, which are linked (modestly) to lower imidazole propionate.A Gut Metabolite That Drives Atherosclerosis
- If you are not sensitive to saturated fat, consider swapping coconut oil in for other fats as a source of MCTs, after talking with your doctor.Ketones for heart failure
- Cut microplastic exposure: skip drinks bottled in plastic, bring your own mug for hot drinks, and use loose tea instead of plastic tea bags.Mitigating Microplastic Risk
- Keep oral bacteria out of the bloodstream, since bacterial biofilms have been found in atherosclerotic plaques.Research Roundup: Valine Restriction