The use of prebiotics to lower blood pressure

Subject area of study: 
Hypertension, gut health
Title of study: 
The use of prebiotics to lower blood pressure
Brief outline of the study: 

Our diet has been long known to influence the levels of blood pressure. While our bodies are incapable of digesting some types of fibre, they are fermented in the gut, where they feed the community of ‘good’ microbes. This results in the release of substances that may be beneficial in lowering blood pressure. The present study will test if a modified high fibre supplement could be used to lower blood pressure.

Participants will eat delicious foods that contain either the supplement or placebo, for 3 weeks each, with a 3-week break in between the diets (total study period 9 weeks). The study involves 4 visits to The Alfred Centre that are 60-90 mins where there are varying blood pressure and arterial stiffness measurements taken, as well as blood collection. Participants will collect faecal samples at home, as well as measure daily blood pressure. Participants need to be 18-70 years of age, have a BMI of 18.5-30 and have high blood pressure but not on medication.

Department: 
Gastroenterology
Recruitment start date: 
Wed, 09/10/2019
Recruitment end date: 
Sat, 20/06/2020
Contact person title: 
Ms
Contact person first name: 
Dakota
Contact person last name: 
Rhys-Jones
Contact email: 
Dakota.rhys-jones@monash.edu
Contact phone number: 
(03) 9905 8098
Website link: 
https://www.marqueslab.com/gut
Ethics Committee Project Number: 
19203
Do you have advertising approval?: 
Yes
Approved by: 
Monash