Antihypertensive Effects of Probiotics.
OBJECTIVE
The present review focuses in the hypertension-associated changes in the microbiota and the current insights regarding the impact of probiotics on blood pressure in animal models and in human hypertensive patients.


RESULTS
Gut dysbiosis in hypertension is characterized by (i) the gut microbioma that is less diverse and less rich with an increased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and (ii) a decrease in acetate- and butyrate-producing bacteria and an increase in lactate-producing bacterial populations. The meta-analysis of the human studies supports that supplementation with probiotics reduces blood pressure. The mechanism of this antihypertensive effect of probiotics and its protective effect on endothelial function has not been fully elucidated. Further investigations are needed to clarify if the effects of probiotic bacteria result from the changes in the gut microbiota and its metabolic by-products; the restoration of the gut barrier function; and the effects on endotoxemia, inflammation, and renal sympathetic nerve activity.
Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, University of Granada, CIBER-Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CiberCV), 18071, Granada, Spain.
Iñaki
I
Robles-Vera
Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, University of Granada, CIBER-Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CiberCV), 18071, Granada, Spain.
Marta
M
Toral
Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, University of Granada, CIBER-Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CiberCV), 18071, Granada, Spain.|Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), Granada, Spain.
Miguel
M
Romero
Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, University of Granada, CIBER-Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CiberCV), 18071, Granada, Spain.|Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), Granada, Spain.
Rosario
R
Jiménez
Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, University of Granada, CIBER-Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CiberCV), 18071, Granada, Spain.
Manuel
M
Sánchez
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid; CIBER Enfermedades Respiratorias (Ciberes) and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), Madrid, Spain.
Francisco
F
Pérez-Vizcaíno
Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, University of Granada, CIBER-Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CiberCV), 18071, Granada, Spain. jmduarte@ugr.es.|Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), Granada, Spain. jmduarte@ugr.es.
Juan
J
Duarte
D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D019936:Probiotics
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents
Endothelial dysfunction; Gut microbiota; Hypertension; Probiotic bacteria