Why eating red meat increases the risk of heart disease
Plus, how to navigate the infodemic, more on the second omicron variant, why dogs vary in size, and why boosters are necessary to combat omicron.
Hello!
How are you holding up?
I promised I’d share some tips on how I try to assess the validity of health and science claims I read online. I’ve written a column about this for Hindustan Times now.
We are in the third year of a pandemic in which respectable figures misinform that vaccines cause infertility and AIDS while touting drugs that don’t work. How do you know what to trust?
Here's how to navigate the infomedic.
First, know the track record of the source of information. Despite their missteps, I'd rather trust the WHO than my uncle on WhatsApp who forwards alarming stories daily.
Second, you or someone else need to be able to take a look at the actual data behind the health claim. A primary source of information can be a technical briefing by a trusted organization, or a preprint or scientific paper posted on a reliable preprint server or journal website.
Third, we must apply critical thinking skills to what we read. This especially applies to theories that align with our own beliefs. Highly intelligent people are not immune to confirmation bias, they are better at cherry-picking data to see what they want to believe.
Fourth, be wary of sweeping claims made for large heterogeneous populations facing a changing, complex disease. I've heard claims that Indians are more prone to severe COVID-19 as well as claims that we are less prone. It can’t be both and there must be a plausible explanation.
Fifth, a claim must be testable and falsifiable. Philosopher of science Karl Popper called this the essential scientific criterion of falsifiability. If you can’t meet a burden of proof to show something is wrong, then its more of a belief than a testable hypothesis.
Lastly, we do not have to be sceptical of all claims all the time, but we should be prepared to apply scientist Carl Sagan’s standard that “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence”. The more outlandish the claim, the greater the burden of proof.
A few underrated skills:
The ability to change your mind when information changes is not a sign of weakness, but of mental agility. We are constantly learning about the virus, immunity, and variants. Be prepared to be wrong, admit it, and change your mind as needed.
Humility. Many people declared the pandemic was over in India after the first wave, and then after the Delta wave, and now during Omicron wave.
Understand the limits of knowledge. Be prepared to say constantly, "I do not know." Science takes time. You do not have to share every tweet that gets a thousand retweets or every forward you receive in the morning. When in doubt, stay quiet.
How red meat consumption is linked to heart disease
Regular readers of my newsletter know that I’m fascinated by microbiome research. And the effect of microbes in your gut isn’t all positive either.
It has been known for many years that excessive consumption of red meat increases the risk of heart disease. As most people why this is the case and you might hear that cholesterol and saturated fat are the culprits, but that’s not the whole picture.
An earlier study in Nature Medicine implicated carnitine, a nutrient in red meat. Even controlling for levels of fat and cholesterol, scientists found that red meat consumption increased the risk of heart disease. Incidentally, carnitine is also a popular health supplement with dubious benefits.
Now, research in Nature Microbiology shows exactly how this occurs. Scientists have found that some gut microbes break down break down carnitine, a chemical found in red meat into a precursor of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). The accumulation of TMAO leads to an increased risk of heart disease.
The researchers were able to pinpoint the steps in the process and the genes that give rise to the enzymes that speed up each of these steps. Of course, if we could create a drug that blocks steps in the process, we could minimize some of the deleterious effects of red meat (without the need for limiting red meat consumption).
But there are other concerns with red meat too, including the greenhouse gases emitted in livestock cultivation.
Vaccine inequality in a tweet.
What else I’ve read:
Here’s what you need to know about the second Omicron variant.
Why do dogs vary so much in size? “From chihuahuas to great Danes, dogs differ more in size than any other mammal species on the planet. A mutation behind such variation has been traced to an unexpected source: ancient wolves” Fascinating stuff.
What scientists learned by putting octopuses in MRI machines.
A booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is around 90% effective at preventing hospitalization due to omicron. This is compelling work that boosters are necessary for protection.
Final thoughts…
I’ve been thinking about this quote, especially now that the James Webb Space Telescope has reached its new home.
“I’m just very excited to get to see those first images, just because they will be spectacular,” said a researcher.
I agree. :-)
Stay well.
Anirban
Thanks for this, sir! Extremely helpful!
Found the TMAO bit very interesting! Have been reading and listening to lectures on the impact or the non-impact rather of saturated fats on heart disease, which gives people the false assurance that red meat is perfectly safe to eat. Hope people become aware of this information and eat red meat in moderation to reduce the risk of CAD.