Surveys show that China currently has 420 million hypertension patients, 200 million people with dyslipidemia, and 121 million diabetes patients. More concerning is that the "Triple - H" is no longer exclusive to middle-aged and elderly people, with an obvious trend of "younger onset" as more young people are being affected.
Research has found that gut microbiota dysbiosis, intestinal mucosal damage, altered intestinal function, and consequent systemic inflammation are among the main causes of metabolic diseases like the "Triple - H".
Today, weve invited Dai Wenxin, Director of the Geriatric Multidisciplinary Diagnosis and Treatment Center at Hainan Chengmei Hospital and gut microbiota therapy expert, to provide in-depth insights into the relationship between the "Triple - H" and gut microbiota, as well as how to delay disease progression through intestinal health regulation.
I. The Hidden Connection Between the "Triple - H" and Gut Microbiota
Director Dai Wenxin explains that long-term high-calorie diets and lack of exercise directly lead to decreased proportions of probiotics, increased harmful bacteria, gut microbiota imbalance, microbial community disorder, and intestinal barrier damage, consequently increasing the incidence of chronic diseases like hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes.
Specific manifestations include:
Blood Pressure Regulation: High-fat diets promote the growth and reproduction of harmful bacterial communities in the gut microbiome, producing harmful substances that induce vasoconstriction, thereby elevating blood pressure and triggering hypertension.
Blood Sugar Fluctuations: Gut microbiota imbalance allows lipopolysaccharides to enter the bloodstream, damaging pancreatic β-cells while affecting multiple insulin signaling pathways, causing insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar, ultimately leading to type 2 diabetes.
Lipid Abnormalities: Healthy gut microbiota regulates blood lipids through cholesterol oxidase production, inhibition of hepatic lipogenesis enzyme activity, modulation of cholesterol redistribution between blood and liver, and influence on bile salt enterohepatic circulation. When microbiota imbalance occurs with reduced beneficial bacteria, cholesterol conversion and utilization processes in the blood become impaired, leading to lipid metabolism disorders and elevated blood lipids.
II. Regulating Gut Microbiota: Pressing "Pause" on the "Triple - H"
Given the close relationship between gut microbiota and the "Triple - H", how can we reduce these through microbiota regulation?
Recommendations for adjustment include:
Dietary Fiber Supplementation: Dietary fiber can induce beneficial transformations in gut microbiota. Microbiota breakdown of fiber produces short-chain fatty acids that protect the intestinal mucosal barrier, prevent endotoxin entry into blood, and reduce metabolic disorders caused by microbiota imbalance. Daily diets should include fiber-rich foods like whole wheat bread, oats, legumes, vegetables, and fruits.
Probiotic Yogurt Assistance: Consuming probiotic yogurt 1-3 times daily can reduce postprandial inflammation from poor diets, improve vascular inflammation and blood environment, while inducing positive changes in gut microbiota to promote microecological balance. However, its crucial to choose low-sugar or sugar-free probiotic yogurt to avoid excessive sugar intake.
Moderate Exercise Regulation: Engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity weekly exercise like brisk walking, jogging, or swimming. Such exercise can reduce HbA1c levels, blood pressure and cholesterol, and enhance insulin sensitivity and vascular elasticity, comprehensively improving metabolic health.
Precision Microbiota Transplantation: Among various gut microbiota improvement methods, Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) has gained attention as an emerging and effective approach. It matches patients microbiota types for targeted supplementation of deficient beneficial bacteria, effectively improving microbiota structure and function. The transplanted live bacteria quantity is thousands of times greater than regular probiotics, enabling rapid colonization and action. Derived from human sources, the transplanted microbiota contains diverse, highly active strains that better adapt to patients intestinal environments for blood sugar regulation.
Expert Introduction
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Editor | Huang Fei