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Gut Regulated Associations of Neuronal Signalling in High Blood Pressure (GRAINS-BP): a double-blinded randomised crossover placebo-controlled trial
Summary
Nearly a third of Australian adults have high blood pressure, and many struggle to control it with medication alone—so researchers are testing whether a special type of fiber (found in a modified corn starch) can help by boosting gut bacteria that produce beneficial compounds called short-chain fatty acids. This trial will investigate whether these gut-produced compounds lower blood pressure by calming an overactive nervous system, which could offer a diet-based tool to complement medications. The study will also check for other health markers, including gut health and even levels of microplastics in the blood, but results aren't in yet—this paper describes the study's design, not its findings
Hypertension affects 1 in 3 Australian adults and is a major contributor to stroke and myocardial infarction. Despite the availability of various medications, over 50% of patients struggle to control their blood pressure (BP) due to nonadherence, difficulty finding the right treatment, or avoidance of medication. Diet plays a key role in cardiovascular health, with high-fiber intake shown to lower BP through the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), metabolites formed during fiber fermentation. A previous clinical trial found that incorporating a specific type of resistant starch – high amylose maize starch enriched with acetate and butyrate (HAMSA/B) — significantly reduced blood pressure in hypertensive patients. While the exact mechanism remains unclear, SCFAs may influence BP via the gut-brain axis by reducing muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), which has vasoconstrictor function and is elevated in hypertensive individuals. The GRAINS-BP clinical trial will recruit 29 adults with untreated hypertension (≥ 140/90 mmHg) for a double-blind, cross-over study using HAMSA/B administered as a shake delivered twice daily. The assessment period will span 48 days and include four visits at the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. At visit 1, baseline measurement will be taken, including muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and electrocardiogram (ECG). Participants will be randomised to the order in which they receive the placebo and HAMSA/B shake. Each intervention period will last 14 days, separated by a 20-day washout before participants cross over to the alternate treatment. At each visit, faecal, urine, and blood samples will be collected to investigate microbiome, cardiometabolic, renal, and immune profiles, respectively. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses will be conducted to examine treatment effects and to identify correlations among microbiome, cardiometabolic, renal, and immune outcomes. This project’s primary outcome is change in autonomic nervous system activity. Secondary outcomes include 24-h BP, gut microbiome composition, SCFA levels, immune cell profiles gastrointestinal transit time, quality of life, anxiety and depression symptoms, cognitive function, gut barrier integrity, and circulating micro- and nanoplastics. Findings from this study will reveal whether SCFAs reduce blood pressure by their influence on the autonomic nervous system. This trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12625000557437).