Why Does Gut Health Affect Heart Health?

To protect your heart health, you’re better off targeting your gut health than relying on prescription drugs. Evidence suggests an altered gut microbiome is involved in cardiovascular disease. Researchers from the Broad Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard pinpointed certain gut bacteria that influence cholesterol levels, triglycerides, blood glucose levels and heart disease risk. (source)

After analyzing bacterial genomes in stool samples, they found that bacteria called Oscillibacter were associated with lower cholesterol levels, lower triglycerides and glucose, and higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The scientists also revealed that Oscillibacter broke cholesterol down into smaller molecules that don’t raise heart disease risk.

 

"The reductions in cholesterol by Oscillibacter appeared to be related to genes for enzymes that break down cholesterol in the intestines. This might lead to less cholesterol making its way into the bloodstream," they explained (source). In fact, improving your gut health is an essential part of avoiding heart disease, as a diverse and balanced gut microbiome is essential for overall health.

Fostering beneficial oxygen-intolerant bacteria, such as the important species Akkermansia, enhances your intestinal defenses and helps create an environment that supports general well-being. These beneficial bacteria break down dietary fibers to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), especially butyrate.

This compound nourishes colonic epithelial cells, strengthening the intestinal barrier. SCFAs also stimulate mucin production, forming a protective layer against harmful bacteria.

When oxygen-intolerant bacteria decrease, it can lead to increased intestinal permeability, often referred to as leaky gut syndrome. This condition allows toxins, undigested food particles, and harmful microbes to enter your bloodstream, potentially triggering systemic inflammation and chronic health issues.

Optimizing Your Gut Health Is a Key Strategy to Protect Your Heart Health

Oxygen-intolerant bacteria are essential for converting indigestible plant fibers into beneficial fats. They thrive in an oxygen-free environment, which requires adequate cellular energy to maintain. However, modern factors like seed oil consumption and exposure to toxins like endocrine-disrupting chemicals in plastics can compromise this energy production, making it difficult to maintain the ideal no-oxygen gut environment.

This can cause a shift from oxygen-intolerant to oxygen-tolerant species. Importantly, oxygen-tolerant bacteria produce more potent endotoxins. As a result, individuals with more oxygen-tolerant gut bacteria may experience stronger negative reactions to plant carbohydrates due to increased endotoxin exposure.

Many aren’t aware, meanwhile, that septic shock is a leading cause of death, and endotoxemia is often its underlying cause. In my view, the No. 1 cause of death, that exceeds heart disease and cancer, is endotoxemia resulting in septic shock, as what is written down on the death certificate is not necessarily the true cause of death.

Heart disease or heart failure, for instance, could frequently be a trigger for endotoxemia. Improving mitochondrial function and maintaining a healthy gut ecosystem are therefore instrumental in preventing heart disease.

In addition, if you’re interested in learning more about your individual heart disease risk, don’t rely on total cholesterol or LDL on their own. You can get a more accurate idea of your risk of heart disease with the following tests:

• Omega-3 index
• HDL/total cholesterol ratio
• Fasting insulin level
• Fasting blood sugar level
• Triglyceride/HDL ratio
• Iron level

The potential reduction in statin prescriptions, based on AHA’s updated risk assessment tools, further highlights the importance of personalized medicine instead of one-size-fits-all approaches. A holistic approach to heart disease prevention is necessary, as your heart health is not isolated but deeply intertwined with your overall well-being.

It’s important to consider not only certain conventional risk factors but also gut health, mitochondrial function and the complex interplay of various health indicators. This shift in perspective may lead to more effective, less invasive strategies for maintaining cardiovascular health and reducing heart disease risk in the long term.