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Trimethylamine N-Oxide (TMAO)

Meaning

A small, organic molecule produced in the liver following the absorption of trimethylamine (TMA), a metabolite generated by the gut microbiota from dietary precursors like choline, L-carnitine, and phosphatidylcholine. Elevated plasma levels of TMAO have been consistently correlated in clinical studies with an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events, suggesting a significant link between the intestinal microbial environment and systemic health outcomes. It serves as a potent, measurable biomarker for complex dietary-microbiome-host metabolic interactions.