Long Oral Presentation Nutrition Society of Australia 50th Annual Scientific Meeting 2026

Inflamed Gut, Elevated Pressure: Linking Intestinal Inflammation to Hypertension (146628)

Matthew Snelson 1 , Helen Nguyen 2 , Esha Vashisht 2 , Cass Mangan 2 , Francine Z Marques 2
  1. Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia
  2. Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Hypertension is associated with systemic inflammation and alterations in the gut microbiome.1 Higher dietary fibre intake is associated with lower blood pressure and improved cardiovascular health, and may influence blood pressure regulation through interactions with the gut microbiome and intestinal inflammation.2, 3 Animal studies have demonstrated that hypertension is associated with intestinal inflammation, impaired gut barrier integrity, and gut pathological remodelling4; however, whether intestinal inflammation is elevated in humans with hypertension remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between intestinal inflammation and blood pressure, and its relationships with diet and gut microbiome composition and function. Seventy-nine adults underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and were classified as normotensive, untreated hypertensive, treated controlled hypertensive, or treated uncontrolled hypertensive. Individuals with known gastrointestinal disease were excluded. Stool microbiota were profiled using metagenomic sequencing, with community structure and functional capacity characterised. Faecal calprotectin, a marker of intestinal inflammation, was quantified by ELISA. Dietary intake was assessed using a 3-day food record. Associations were assessed using multivariable linear models. Faecal calprotectin was higher in individuals with elevated blood pressure, independent of medication status (BP effect p<0.001; medication p=ns; interaction p=ns). Calprotectin correlated with 24‑hour systolic and diastolic blood pressure (r=0.40, p<0.001), with the association for systolic blood pressure remaining significant after adjustment for age, sex, BMI, and antihypertensive medication use. Calprotectin was positively associated with processed (r=0.31, p=0.01) and red meat intake (r=0.26, p=0.035) and negatively associated with vegetable intake (r=−0.24, p=0.047). No associations were observed with microbial alpha diversity. Veillonella parvula showed a positive association with calprotectin (β=1.56, q=0.076). Functionally, calprotectin was associated with increased microbial threonine degradation (β=0.19, q=0.017). Elevated blood pressure is associated with increased intestinal inflammation in humans, independent of antihypertensive treatment. Increased microbial threonine degradation in individuals with higher calprotectin suggests a potential link between intestinal inflammation and enhanced mucin turnover, potentially favouring microbes with threonine-degrading capacity. These findings support a role for intestinal inflammation in hypertension.

  1. 1. Vashisht, E., et al., Diet, Gut Microbiota, and Intestinal Permeability: Emerging Mechanisms in Hypertension Pathogenesis. Canadian Journal of Cardiology, 2026.
  2. 2. Reynolds, A., et al., Carbohydrate quality and human health: a series of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The Lancet, 2019. 393(10170): p. 434-445.
  3. 3. Snelson, M., et al., Preintervention Intake of Whole Grains Versus Refined Grains, and the Gut Microbiome, Discriminate the Antihypertensive Effect of Prebiotic Fiber. Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine, 2025: p. e005019.
  4. 4. Robles-Vera, I., et al., Changes in Gut Microbiota Induced by Doxycycline Influence in Vascular Function and Development of Hypertension in DOCA-Salt Rats. Nutrients, 2021. 13(9).