Gut bacteria and flavonoid-rich foods are linked and improve blood pressure levels
Newswise – DALLAS, Aug. 23, 2021 – Flavonoid-rich foods, including berries, apples, pears, and wine, appear to have positive effects on blood pressure, a relationship that is explained in part by the properties of the gut microbiome, according to research published today in hypertension, a journal of the American Heart Association.
“Our gut microbiome plays a key role in metabolizing flavonoids to enhance their cardioprotective effect. Ph.D., Chair and Professor of Nutrition and Preventive Medicine at Queen’s University’s Institute for Global Food Security in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Flavonoids are compounds that are naturally found in fruits, vegetables, and plant foods like tea, chocolate, and wine, and have been shown in previous research to provide a variety of health benefits to the body. Flavonoids are broken down by the body’s gut microbiome – the bacteria found in the digestive tract. Recent studies have found a link between the gut microbiota, the microorganisms in the human digestive tract, and cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death worldwide. The gut microbiota is highly variable between individuals and there have been reports of differences in the composition of gut microbes in people with and without CVD.
Given the increasing research suggesting that flavonoids may reduce the risk of heart disease, this study examined the role of the gut microbiome in this process. The researchers examined the relationship between the consumption of flavonoid-rich foods with blood pressure and the diversity of the gut microbiome. The study also looked at how much variance within the gut microbiome could explain the relationship between intake of flavonoid-rich foods and blood pressure.
A group of 904 adults between the ages of 25 and 82, 57% men from the German PopGen biobank, were recruited for this study. (The PopGen biobank includes participants from a network of seven biobanks in northern Germany.) During regular follow-up examinations, the researchers assessed the participants’ food intake, gut microbiome and blood pressure along with other clinical and molecular phenotyping.
The intake of flavonoid-rich foods by the participants in the previous year was calculated using a self-reported food questionnaire, which indicated the frequency and amount of consumption of 112 foods. Flavonoid levels were assigned to foods based on U.S. Department of Agriculture data on flavonoid levels in foods.
Participants’ gut microbiome was assessed using fecal bacterial DNA extracted from stool samples. After an overnight fast, the participants’ blood pressure values were measured three times at three-minute intervals after an initial five-minute rest period. The researchers also gathered information about the participants’ lifestyle, including gender, age, smoking status, medication use and physical activity, as well as a family history of coronary artery disease, the number of calories and fiber consumed daily, and each participant’s height and weight were measured by BMI (body- Mass index).
The analysis of the regular intake of flavonoids with intestinal microbiome and blood pressure values showed:
- Study participants with the highest intakes of foods rich in flavonoids, including berries, red wine, apples, and pears, had lower systolic blood pressures and greater diversity in their gut microbiome than those who consumed the lowest levels of flavonoid. rich foods.
- Up to 15.2% of the association between flavonoid-rich foods and systolic blood pressure could be explained by the diversity in the gut microbiome of the participants.
- Consumption of 1.6 servings of berries per day (one serving equals 80 grams or 1 cup) was associated with an average decrease in systolic blood pressure of 4.1 mm Hg, and about 12% of the association was explained by gut microbiome factors.
- Drinking 2.8 glasses (125 ml of wine per glass) of red wine per week was associated with an average of 3.7 mm Hg lower systolic blood pressure, of which 15% could be explained by the gut microbiome.
“Our results suggest that future studies should screen participants by their metabolic profile to examine the role of metabolism and the gut microbiome in regulating the effects of flavonoids on blood pressure,” said Cassidy. “A better understanding of the highly individual variability in flavonoid metabolism could very well explain why some people benefit more from flavonoid-rich foods for cardiovascular protection than others.”
While this study suggests the potential benefits of consuming red wine, the American Heart Association suggests that you shouldn’t start if you aren’t already drinking alcohol. If you drink alcohol, talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of moderate alcohol consumption. According to a nutritional health statement from the American Heart Association, alcohol consumption can be part of a healthy diet if consumed in moderation (no more than one alcoholic drink per day for women and 2 alcoholic drinks per day for men) and only up to non-pregnant women and adults, if there is no risk for existing health conditions, drug-alcohol interactions or personal safety and work situations.
The authors note that the study participants came from the general population and that the participants were unaware of the hypothesis. However, residual or unmeasured confounding factors (such as other health conditions or genetics) can lead to bias, so these results cannot substantiate a direct cause and effect, although the researchers made a detailed adjustment for a variety of diet and lifestyle factors in their analyzes. The authors noted that the focus of this study is on certain foods that are rich in flavonoids, rather than all foods and beverages that contain flavonoids.
Co-authors are first author Amy Jennings, Ph.D .; Manja Koch, Ph.D .; Corinna Bang, Ph.D .; Andre Franke, Ph.D .; and Wolfgang Lieb, MD, M.Sc. The information provided by the authors is listed in the manuscript.
The research was funded by grants from the German Research Foundation and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The PopGen Biobank is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Medical Faculty of the University of Kiel.
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Via the American Heart Association
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