Does Eating Red Meat and Eggs (TMAO) Cause Heart Disease?

In this video John and Glenn discuss the studies linking red meat and eggs to heart disease. Specifically they discuss the Cleveland Clinic research and the role of TMA precursors carnitine and choline in heart disease. They also discuss cholesterol and whether or not it is causal in heart disease.

References

W.H. Wilson Tang, M.D., et al.
Intestinal Microbial Metabolism of Phosphatidylcholine and Cardiovascular Risk
New England Journal of Medicine 2013; 368:1575-1584 April 25, 2013
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1109400?query=featured_home&

Robert A. Koeth, et al.
Intestinal microbiota metabolism of L-carnitine, a nutrient in red meat, promotes atherosclerosis
Nat Med. 2013 May; 19(5): 576--585.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3650111/#!po=3.12500

James J. DiNicolantonio, et al.
L-Carnitine in the Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Mayo Clinic Proceedings Volume 88, Issue 6 , Pages 544-551, June 2013
http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196%2813%2900127-4/fulltext

Anthony Colpo
LDL Cholesterol:
Bad Cholesterol, or Bad Science?
Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons Volume 10 Number 3 Fall 2005
http://www.jpands.org/vol10no3/colpo.pdf

Anthony Colpo
Critique and Reply
Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons Volume 11 Number 1 Spring 2006
http://www.jpands.org/vol11no1/correspondence.pdf