Which statement below best describes a mechanistic link between the gut microbiome and increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease?

Some gut bacteria turn nutrients from meat and eggs into a small chemical that the liver changes into another compound; that compound can harm blood vessel linings and help plaque form

Plaques in arteries release substances that feed harmful gut bacteria, and those bacteria then lower bile production and raise blood cholesterol

Long-term stress makes the stomach more acidic and kills helpful microbes, causing the liver to produce a toxin that builds up in arteries

Fiber in the diet is broken down by gut microbes into fatty acids that the body absorbs and the liver converts into LDL ("bad") cholesterol, increasing plaque buildup