Chowing down on red meat might increase a person's risk of a potentially deadly blood vessel problem of the abdomen, a new study says.
High blood levels of TMAO (trimethylamine N-oxide) -- a byproduct of gut bacteria digestion of red meat and other animal-based foods -- are linked to an increased risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm, or AAA, researchers report in JAMA Cardiology.
AAA occurs when a bulge develops in the aorta, the large artery that runs through the torso, researchers said in background notes.
If this bulge ruptures, it is deadly in as many as 80% of cases that occur outside a hospital, researchers said.
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