Relationship between Gut Microbial Health, Exercise, Race, and Hypertension: Updating Mechanistic Perspective

The gut microbiome (the sum of microbes that populate the intestines) has recently been shown to have an active role in the development and promotion of disease. Hypertension, the number one and most modifiable cardiovascular disease risk factor, has been associated with a distinct gut microbial profile of reduced short-chain fatty acid production. Strategies to improve hypertension have been well-studied. Less appreciated is that exercise can improve gut microbial characteristics. Therefore, the impact of exercise on hypertension may include specific exercise-mediated improvements of gut short-chain fatty acid production, but the relationship between exercise-induced gut short-chain fatty acid production and reductions in blood pressure has not been characterized. Even more understudied is the phenomenon of the significant burden of hypertension in African Americans and the physiological factors (e.g. gut microbiome) that participate in this racial health disparity. This short communication will provide a contextual update concerning the mechanistic perspective of exercise induced improvement in hypertension and potential impact of exercise in mediating gut health and this significant racial health disparity.