Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO)

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is a plasma metabolite shown to be formed through a metaorganismal pathway involving nutrient precursors abundant in a Western diet (choline, phosphatidylcholine, and L-carnitine) and the sequential action of both gut microbiota, initially forming trimethylamine (TMA), followed by host hepatic flavin monooxygenase-dependent conversion into trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO)