152. More myth debunking: TMAO, Neu5gc, Methionine/Glycine balance

Biochemistry

Neu5Gc is a sialic acid that serves as a cell surface marker and is present in many animal foods like red meat and milk. Paul Saladino explains that humans do not produce Neu5Gc due to the loss of a specific enzyme in our evolutionary history, which may have helped us escape certain diseases like malaria 1. The difference between Neu5Gc and the similar Neu5Ac is just one oxygen atom, and concerns about Neu5Gc are largely based on animal studies, not human data 1.

Concerns regarding Neu5Gc are based on the fact that this sialic acid is present in a lot of animal foods that we eat, providing fodder for anti-animal ideologies usually advanced by plant-based theorists.

--- Paul Saladino

Paul emphasizes that the presence of Neu5Gc in our diet should be viewed through an evolutionary lens, noting that other species like ferrets also lack Neu5Gc but thrive on diets rich in it 2.

   

Health Risks

The potential health risks of Neu5Gc, particularly its association with cancer, are often overstated. Paul highlights that most concerns are based on animal studies, which cannot be directly translated to humans 3. He references a study showing no increased cancer risk in kidney transplant recipients exposed to high levels of Neu5Gc, debunking the fear-mongering around this molecule 3.

This study really begins to put the Neu5Gc fear-mongering to rest.

--- Paul Saladino

Paul argues that Neu5Gc, along with other compounds like choline and carnitine, are essential parts of the human diet and have been for millions of years. He stresses that these components should not be feared but embraced as part of a healthy, evolutionarily consistent diet 4.