Heal Your Heart Through Your Gut: Understanding the Gut-Heart Connection

By Viome Team • 8 min read

The old saying may be true, maybe the way to a man's heart really is through his stomach. Studies show that gut health and heart health are intricately linked and the key to a healthy heart might lay within your gut.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. So, it's no surprise that nearly everyone knows someone who's been affected. The effects of heart disease are devastating and can take families by surprise.

To fight this, we've been taught since a young age to eat healthy and exercise for a strong and healthy heart. Cereal boxes are plastered with "heart healthy" seals of approval and promises of decreasing your cholesterol. Schools even waged campaigns to teach children just how important it is to take care of their heart.

Even with country-wide education and significant advances in modern medicine, the last decade has shown an increase in the number of people affected by heart disease with rates continue to climb.

It makes you wonder: Are we really eating healthy and exercising enough for our heart health?

The evidence seems to indicate that there's a piece missing from this puzzle, and growing research is pointing to the gut microbiome. Scientific interest continues to grow around the relationship between the gut and overall heart wellness, underscoring the interconnected nature of digestive and cardiovascular systems. [1]

Could there be a day where a stool sample, oral swab, or a breath test for certain bacteria or metabolite could reliability predict your cardiovascular health? Some researchers believe this is a reality that is closer than we think.

This also suggests you might not want to dismiss gastrointestinal issues too quickly. A little gas and bloating here and there might not seem like a big deal, but if it goes unaddressed for too long (or worse, covered up with over-the-counter medications), it could lead to more significant issues down the road.

So, how does the gut potentially contribute to heart health?

First, bacteria that should be found only in the colon can migrate to the small intestine and cause problems. Second, when specific bacteria are exposed to a high protein diet, it can lead to the production of harmful byproducts, some of which are negatively associated with heart health. And third, when particularly troublesome bacteria leak through the intestinal lining and into the bloodstream, it can lead to widespread systemic inflammation.

Let’s take a closer look.

When Gut Bacteria Shift: Exploring the Gut-Heart Connection

Nearly half of U.S. adults have at least one commonly discussed cardiovascular health factor, such as elevated blood pressure or cholesterol, or a history of smoking.[2] At the same time, digestive health concerns related to bacterial balance in the gut are increasingly common and widely studied.

Research interest has grown around how digestive health patterns and overall cardiovascular wellness may be interconnected. Some observational studies have reported associations between gastrointestinal imbalances and markers related to heart and vascular health. Likewise, individuals focused on supporting cardiovascular wellness often report co-occurring digestive concerns, highlighting the body’s interconnected systems.[3]

Scientific literature has also explored how bacterial components and metabolites produced in the gut—such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which are naturally found in certain bacteria—may influence systemic inflammatory responses when gut barrier integrity is compromised. Inflammation is a normal biological process, and researchers continue to study how it may play a role in whole-body wellness.

Taken together, these findings underscore growing scientific interest in the relationship between the gut microbiome and cardiovascular wellness. Ongoing research is examining how the composition and activity of gut microbes may influence metabolic and inflammatory pathways that are important for maintaining overall health.

Too Much TMAO? When Protein Causes Problems

Another harmful bacterial metabolites researchers are investigating is trimethylamine N-oxide or TMAO. When certain gut microbes use choline, found in high quantities in eggs, red meat, poultry, and fish, they can produce trimethylamine (TMA). TMA can than be converted into TMAO, which has been linked to plaque formation in arteries (atherosclerosis).

In a review published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, 19 studies confirmed a link between elevated TMAO levels and increased risk of heart disease. People who had higher levels of blood serum TMAO were 62 percent more likely to have heart conditions. [5]

High TMAO levels have also been associated with higher mortality rates, independent of other commonly linked risks such as kidney disease, diabetes, and obesity. These findings suggest that evaluating serum levels of TMAO may be an additional factor to consider when gauging someone's risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Gut Barrier Integrity & Whole-Body Wellness

A disrupted gut lining is a third potential mechanism by which the gut could be the underlying cause of cardiovascular dResearchers are actively studying gut barrier integrity as one of several ways digestive health may influence overall wellness, including cardiovascular function. The gut lining plays an important role in maintaining balance between the digestive tract and the rest of the body. When this barrier becomes less effective, it may allow certain gut-derived components to interact more directly with systemic pathways.

Scientific literature has explored how bacterial components such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS)—which are naturally present in some gut bacteria—may contribute to immune and inflammatory signaling when they enter circulation. Inflammation is a normal biological response, and researchers continue to investigate how chronic activation of these pathways may relate to metabolic and cardiovascular health markers.[6]

Some studies have also examined associations between elevated circulating LPS levels and changes in metabolic function. [7] These observations have fueled ongoing research into how gut-derived compounds may influence systemic processes involved in long-term health.

Additionally, researchers have identified microbial signatures in arterial plaques, prompting hypotheses about possible pathways by which microbes or microbial components could interact with vascular tissues. One area of interest is whether gut barrier function plays a role in these observations. While these hypotheses are still being explored, scientists emphasize that further research is needed to better understand these complex interactions.

Overall, this growing body of research highlights the interconnected nature of gut health, immune signaling, and cardiovascular wellness, reinforcing the importance of maintaining a healthy digestive environment as part of overall health.

The Good News? Short-Chain Fatty Acids for the Win!

It's not all bad news when it comes to the gut-heart connection. The good news is there are healthy compounds your gut microbiota produce called short-chain fatty acids that protect the heart.

These beneficial short-chain fatty acids, such as butyrate, are almost exclusively made via the gut microbiome. [7] Studies have found that these microbial byproducts are involved in blood pressure regulation along with other physiological functions.8

A 2017 scientific review examining the gut microbiome and blood pressure highlighted growing research interest in how gut microbial balance may influence mechanisms involved in blood pressure regulation and overall cardiovascular wellness.[9]

Improving Heart Health with Gut Health

Gut microbiome research takes the idea of eating for a healthy heart to a whole new level. Gut microbiome research takes the idea of eating for a healthy heart to a whole new level. This is encouraging, as supporting overall cardiovascular wellness remains an important focus for long-term health. You don't have to wait for research to tell you exactly how to have your microbes work in your favor, you can leverage it right now and take steps to improve the health of your gut microbiome today.

Here are 5 ways you can begin improving the health of your gut microbiome immediately:

1. Avoid sugar – Sugar isn't great for your gut microbiome because harmful bacteria and fungus like Candida albicans love to feast on it. High sugar diets have been shown to alter gut microbiome composition and function.

2. Use antibiotics only when absolutely necessary – Antibiotics cause widespread alterations of the gut microbiome because they don't discriminate between good and opportunistic bacteria.

3. Reduce your NSAID use – Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like Advil and aspirin, alter the composition of the gut microbiome and can decrease the integrity of your gut lining.

4. Exercise – Exercise isn't just good for your heart, it's for your gut too! Exercise has been shown to enrich microbial diversity and increase beneficial bacteria.

5. Quit smoking – Smoking is one of the top three biggest risks factors for heart disease, and it wreaks havoc on your gut microbiome. You already know smoking is bad for you, now it's time to really quit.

Want to learn more? Check out 19 Science-backed Ways to Improve Your Gut Health

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