Elsevier

The Journal of Nutrition

Volume 146, Issue 2, February 2016, Pages 283-289
The Journal of Nutrition

Plasma Concentrations of Trimethylamine-N-oxide Are Directly Associated with Dairy Food Consumption and Low-Grade Inflammation in a German Adult Population12

https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.115.220103Get rights and content
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Abstract

Background: Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is a metabolite of carnitine, choline, and phosphatidylcholine, which is inversely associated with survival of cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients.

Objective: We examined the associations of diet with plasma concentrations of TMAO, choline, and betaine and the associations of TMAO with plasma concentrations of various cytokines.

Methods: Plasma TMAO, choline, and betaine concentrations were measured using LC-high resolution mass spectrometry in 271 participants, ≥18 y old, of the Second Bavarian Food Consumption Survey, conducted in 2002 and 2003. Food consumption was assessed using at least two 24-h dietary recalls. Cytokines were measured in plasma with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Geometric mean concentrations of TMAO, choline, and betaine by categories of meat, dairy food, egg, and fish consumption were computed, adjusted for sex, age, and BMI. Multivariable-adjusted geometric mean concentrations of cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), soluble TNF receptors (sTNF-R) p55, sTNF-R p75, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP)] were computed by quartiles of TMAO concentration using general linear models.

Results: Meat, egg, or fish consumption was not associated with TMAO, choline, or betaine concentrations (all P-trend ≥ 0.05). With increases in milk and other dairy food consumption, the plasma TMAO concentration increased [geometric mean bottom quartile of milk consumption: 2.08 μM (95% CI: 1.69, 2.57 μM); compared with top quartile: 3.13 μM (95% CI: 2.56, 3.84 μM); P-trend = 0.008]. Participants in the top TMAO quartile had higher plasma concentrations of TNF-α, sTNF-R p55, and sTNF-R p75 than participants in the bottom quartile (percentage difference ranging between 14.4% and 17.3%; all P-trend < 0.05), but there were no differences in plasma concentrations of CRP and IL-6 (all P-trend ≥ 0.05).

Conclusions: Results of this study conducted among healthy adults from the general population do not indicate a strong effect of diet on plasma concentrations of TMAO, choline, or betaine, with the exception of a positive association between dairy food consumption and plasma TMAO concentrations. Also, plasma TMAO concentrations were positively associated with inflammation. Whether habitual diet is strongly linked to the plasma TMAO concentration, a potential marker of CVD risk, needs to be determined in further studies.

Keywords

Trimethylamine-N-oxide
red meat
cheese
milk
inflammation

Abbreviations

BVS II
Second Bavarian Food Consumption Survey (Bayrische Verzehrsstudie II)
CRP
C-reactive protein
CVD
cardiovascular disease
FMO3
flavin monooxygenase 3
s-TNF-R p55 and sTNF-R p75
soluble TNF receptors
TMAO
trimethylamine-N-oxide

Cited by (0)

1

The Second Bavarian Food Consumption Survey (Bayrische Verzehrsstudie II) study was supported by funds of the Bavarian Ministry of Environment, Health and Consumer Protection and the Kurt-Eberhard-Bode-Stiftung. Support for this specific project was provided by The Food Biomarkers Alliance project, a project in the context of the EU Joint Programming Initiative “A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life.”

2

Author disclosures: S Rohrmann, J Linseisen, M Allenspach, A von Eckardstein, and D Müller, no conflicts of interest.