https://foodrevolution.org/blog/what-is-tmao/
Ocean Robbins · Published November 19, 2021
What is TMAO? TMAO is a compound called Trimethylamine N-oxide. It is a metabolite that your gut bacteria produces if you eat certain foods.
Most all meat will cause your body to produce TMAO, but red meat in particular has the highest amount of precursors to TMAO.
Researchers are beginning to discover more associations between the cultivation of many inflammatory conditions and higher TMAO levels. These diseases include heart disease, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, cancer, and liver disease.
Why would vegans and meat consumers differ in how much TMAO they make in response to the exact same same food or supplement? Because what you eat determines the makeup of your gut microbiome. The regular consumption of meat will likely render you with a gut full of bacteria that turn TMAO precursors into TMAO. If youre a vegan, you lack those bacteria because they cannot survive on a healthy vegan diet.