A cardiologist does not normally lecture on bacteria, stool, or the intestinal barrier. But I traveled to Philadelphia to lecture to a medical audience on the growing overlap of GI health and cardiovascular health. One example is the metabolite TMAO which is produced in part in the intestinal wall and liver and impacts cardiovascular health.
Another example of the Gut-Heart nexus that is perhaps of even greater importance is the topic of metabolic endotoxemia or ME for short. A brief dive into this body of science will identify that ME may be the most important pathway leading to chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity, dementia and cancer. That is saying a lot.