Microbes in the gut may play a role in coronary heart disease, according to a new study published in Scientific Reports. Researchers analyzed 55 Thai men-healthy controls, patients with hyperlipidemia, and those with coronary heart disease.
Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the team found significantly higher levels of Eubacterium liposum in CHD patients. While it made up a small part of the microbiome, its presence was strongly linked to disease.
The study also measured fecal metabolites. CHD patients had elevated levels of 2-methylbutyric acid, a branched short-chain fatty acid. Statistical analysis showed a moderate positive correlation between this metabolite and CHD (r=0.5037; p=0.0001).
Lead researcher Dechkhajorn noted that these byproducts come from protein fermentation, raising questions about diet’s role in heart risk. However, the cross-sectional design cannot prove causality, and the small, all-male Thai sample limits generalizability.
Still, the findings support the growing concept of a gut-heart axis and suggest future studies could explore these microbial markers for diagnosis or therapy.