title: Probiotic supplementation and trimethylamine-N-oxide production following a high-fat diet.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that the multi-strain probiotic VSL#3 would attenuate the increase in fasting plasma concentrations of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) following a high-fat diet.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen healthy, non-obese males (18-30 years) participated in the present study. Following a 2-week eucaloric control diet, subjects were randomized to either VSL#3 (900 billion live bacteria) or placebo (cornstarch) during the consumption of a hypercaloric (+1,000 kcal day(-1) ), high-fat diet (55% fat) for 4 weeks. Plasma TMAO, L-carnitine, choline, and betaine (UPLC-MS/MS) were measured at baseline and following a high-fat diet.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma TMAO significantly increased 89% ± 66% vs. 115% ± 61% in both the VSL#3 and placebo groups, respectively; however, the magnitude of change in plasma TMAO was not different (P > 0.05) between them. Plasma L-carnitine, choline, and betaine concentrations did not increase following the high-fat diet in either group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high-fat diet increases plasma TMAO in healthy, normal-weight, young males. However, VSL#3 treatment does not appear to influence plasma TMAO concentrations following a high-fat diet. Future studies are needed to determine whether other therapeutic strategies can attenuate the production of TMAO.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.|Fralin Translational Obesity Research Center, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.|Metabolic Phenotyping Core, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Nabil E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Boutagy
authors.affiliation: Fralin Translational Obesity Research Center, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.|Department of Food Science and Technology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Neilson
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.|Fralin Translational Obesity Research Center, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Kristin L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Osterberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Technology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Smithson
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Tessa R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Englund
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.|Fralin Translational Obesity Research Center, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Brenda M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Davy
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.|Fralin Translational Obesity Research Center, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.|Metabolic Phenotyping Core, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Hulver
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.|Fralin Translational Obesity Research Center, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.|Metabolic Phenotyping Core, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Davy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001622:Betaine / Q000097:blood; D002331:Carnitine / Q000097:blood; D002794:Choline / Q000097:blood; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008744:Methylamines / Q000097:blood*; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008744:Methylamines; D001622:Betaine; C005855:trimethyloxamine; D002794:Choline; D002331:Carnitine