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TMAO from Choline and Carnitine

Some gut microbes convert dietary choline and carnitine to TMA, the liver makes TMAO, which correlates with CV risk.

A free, animated tmao from choline and carnitine you can read here or embed on any website, from Scrollchart.

TMAO from Choline and Carnitine

TMAO Pathway: From Choline and Carnitine to Cardiovascular RiskGut microbes with TMA lyase activity gate the entire pathway, not diet aloneDietary substrateCholine (eggs, meat,fish, liver)L-carnitine (red meat)Gut microbesTMA lyase activity:Prevotella,Clostridiales,AnaerococcusLiver FMO3Flavinmonooxygenase 3oxidises TMACirculating TMAONormal: 2-4 uMHigh meat: 10-20 uMProposed CV effectsPlatelet aggregationMacrophage foam cellsReverse cholesteroltransport disruptedvia portal veincleaves C-N bond, releases TMA4-5x range driven by microbiomeCaveat: TMAO-CVD association is real but confoundedFish eaters have the highest TMAO levels yet the lowest cardiovascular risk, because seafood omega-3sand pre-formed TMAO arrive together. Risk signal is strongest in high-meat, low-fibre, dysbiotic populations.

A pathway from dietary choline and L-carnitine via specific gut microbes to TMA, hepatic FMO3 to TMAO, and proposed atherosclerotic effects. The microbial-composition dependency is highlighted.

Good for

  • Articles on red meat, eggs, and cardiovascular risk
  • Microbiome-cardiology educational content for clinicians
  • Plant-based diet and CV prevention content

Source & accuracy

This tmao from choline and carnitine is an editorial illustration built to represent the concept accurately. Where it shows figures, they are typical or representative values chosen to make the relationship clear, not a single underlying dataset. The diagram and its explainer are reviewed and maintained centrally, and updated over time as understanding improves.

The two-step route from food to TMAO

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) forms in two steps. First, certain gut bacteria convert dietary choline and L-carnitine (found in red meat, eggs, and some other animal foods) into trimethylamine (TMA). The TMA is then absorbed and oxidized by the liver enzyme FMO3 into TMAO. Because the first step depends on the microbiome, two people eating the same food can produce very different amounts of TMAO.

How to read the cardiovascular association

Higher circulating TMAO has been associated in observational studies with greater cardiovascular risk, and mechanistic work suggests it may affect cholesterol handling and clotting. The evidence is mostly associative, the causal role in humans is debated, and confounders make it hard to isolate TMAO from overall diet patterns, so it is best viewed as a candidate marker rather than a proven cause.

This is general educational information, not medical advice. It is not a basis for diagnosing or treating heart disease; cardiovascular risk should be assessed by a qualified clinician.

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Reference

What this is
A free, embeddable, animated tmao from choline and carnitine for any website.
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Nutrition blogs, Health blogs, Medical educators, Diet blogs.
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URL
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