For years we have known that their is a direct link between consuming red meat and heart disease. It was known that part of the story was that the elevated risk was due to the fat and cholesterol in red meat, however researchers new that this could not be the whole story.
The new study published in the journal Nature Medicine, have found that bacteria living in the gut might play a role. L-carnitine, a compound abundant in red meat and added to energy drinks, get digested by bacteria in the gut and produces TMAO, a metabolite that is suspected of clogging up arteries. Interestingly a diet high in L- carnitine actually encourages the bacteria that metabolise it, and therefore boosts production, a double whammy !
Therefore meat eaters who are already more at risk , have a further risk as their bodies will produce more than say a vegetarian.
Further studies will now be done to assess the safety if L-carnitine, in energy drinks .
Cutting your red meat consumption is definitely a good idea