The probiotics that offer a protective effect, returning blood pressure to normal levels.
Hypertension is a common medical condition and a key risk factor for heart disease affecting nearly half of the global adult population.
Studies show that higher sugar intake, particularly fructose, has resulted in rising prevalence of hypertension globally.
Experts also suggest that some probiotics might influence the gut microbiome in regulating blood pressure.
An animal study found that two probiotics, Bifidobacterium lactis and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, have an antihypertensive effect.
During a 16 week experiment, some mice were fed water mixed with fructose and some also supplemented with Bifidobacterium lactis M8 or Lactobacillus rhamnosus M9 every day.
The probiotic treatment significantly reduced the animals’ blood pressure, returning levels to normal.
The study also suggests that the probiotic efficacy in lowering hypertension is connected to some gut microbes and metabolic pathways.
Dr Jun Li, the study co-author, said:
“Accumulated evidence supports an antihypertensive effect of probiotics and probiotic fermented foods in both in vitro and in vivo experiments.
So we believed that the dietary intake of probiotic foods would well supplement traditional hypertension treatment.”
It seems that excessive sugar intake increases hypertension through different mechanisms, including reduced renal nitric oxide production, insulin resistance, increased salt retention, and gut microbiota alteration.
However, maintaining blood pressure at normal levels in fructose-fed mice suggests that probiotic interventions can improve gut microbial composition.
This study used a method to explore the link between changes in blood pressure and gut microbiota alterations.
The research team noticed that the fructose diet led to a reduction in Firmicutes bacteria and elevated levels of Bacteroidetes.
However, supplementation with either probiotic made the populations of these bacteria return to normal levels.
Moreover, the study identified several bacterial species that affected blood pressure levels.
For example, depleted levels of Alloprevotella and Alistipes and elevated levels of Pyrolobus and Lawsonia species were linked to lower blood pressure.
Dr Zhihong Sun, the study’s co-author, said:
“Probiotics present a promising avenue in preventive medicine.
offering potential in regulating hypertension and reshaping our approach to cardiovascular health.”
Related
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- 8 lifestyle changes to treat high blood pressure.
The study was published in the journal American Society for Microbiology (Zhang et al., 2023).
