Doctors frequently suggest dietary changes should be the first option to treat hypertension, such as lowering salt intake or alcohol consumption, but new research points to the microbiome for potential treatments.

Current hypothesis suggest that diets that generate beneficial changes to the gut microbiome by increasing the generation of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), lead to improvements in blood pressure. Preclinical studies in mice point to SCFA metabolites such as acetate and butyrate to lowering blood pressure.

Researchers in Australia are now researching if a type of engineered fiber could be used in humans to deliver consistent high levels of beneficial SCFAs.

"The researchers turned to a fiber known as high-amylose maize starch, which can be modified to incorporate acetate and butyrate. The ultimate product is referred to as HAMSAB (acetylated and butyrylated high-amylose maize starch). As our gut microbes ferment HAMSAB, high volumes of acetate and butyrate are released into the colon."

In a twenty-participant study, the HAMSAB-treated hypertensive, "24-hour systolic blood pressure dropped 6.1 mmHg, and altered each patient's gut microbiome composition, with increased levels of acetate- and butyrate-producing bacteria."

Larger studies are needed to further confirm this research, but these findings back up the hypothesis suggesting microbiome-produced SCFAs play a role in regulating human blood pressure. If you desire to increase SCFAs, be sure to eat a diet full of dietary fiber from plant-based foods, like fruits, vegetables, beans, and legumes.

The gut-heart axis might be the next wave of impactful discoveries highlighting how you can improve your health starting with your gut microbiome!