High-Fat Diet with Normal Caloric Intake Elevates TMA and TMAO Production and Reduces Microbial Diversity in Rats

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Trimethylamine (TMA), produced by gut microbiota, and its derivative trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) are both associated with cardiometabolic diseases. While the effects of high-fat diets (HFDs) and high-disaccharide diets (HDDs) on gut microbiota in the context of obesity have been well studied, their impact on TMA/TMAO production, particularly alongside physiological caloric intake, remains obscure. This study investigates how standard HFDs and HDDs alongside physiological caloric intake influence gut microbiota composition and TMA/TMAO production in rats. Methods: Sprague Dawley rats were fed one of three diets a standard diet, an HFD, or an HDD for 12 weeks, with chow availability adjusted by age to maintain physiological caloric intake. Gut bacterial diversity was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and metabolites were quantified via High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-MS) in urine and plasma. Results: The HFD group had significantly higher urinary levels of TMA and TMAO compared to the control and HDD groups. Gut bacterial diversity in the HFD group was markedly reduced, displaying the lowest species richness and phylogenetic diversity among all the groups. Notably, Pasteurellaceae (within the order Pasteurellales) and S24-7 (within the order Bacteroidales) were positively correlated with TMAO levels. The demonstrated HDD group increased microbial diversity compared to both the control and HFD groups. Conclusions: A high-fat diet during controlled and physiological caloric intake increases TMA/TMAO production and reduces gut microbial diversity. This underscores the role of diet composition, beyond caloric excess, in shaping gut microbiota and the related cardiometabolic biomarkers.