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Sex Differences in Gut Microbiota and Their Relation to Arterial Stiffness (MIVAS Study)
Rita Salvado1, Cristina Lugones-Sánchez1,2, Sandra Santos-Minguez3
1Primary Care Research Unit of Salamanca (APISAL), Salamanca Primary Healthcare Management, Castilla y León Regional Health Authority (SACyL), Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
Nutrients
|January 11, 2025
Summary
Women exhibit greater gut microbiome diversity than men, with specific bacteria linked to arterial stiffness differently based on sex. This highlights the importance of sex-specific analysis in cardiovascular health and gut microbiota research.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Health
- Gut Microbiome Research
- Sex-Specific Biology
Background:
- Emerging evidence suggests sex-specific variations in cardiovascular disease (CVD).
- Gut microbiome composition differs between sexes, particularly in individuals with cardiovascular risk factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate sex-based differences in the gut microbiota's association with arterial stiffness.
- To analyze how gut microbial composition relates to arterial stiffness measures in women versus men.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 180 Spanish adults (45-74 years; 122 women, 58 men).
- Arterial stiffness assessed using carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV), cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV).
- Gut microbiome composition analyzed via 16S rRNA sequencing of fecal samples.
Main Results:
- Women displayed significantly higher gut microbiome diversity (Shannon index, p < 0.05) and distinct composition (Bray-Curtis, p < 0.01) compared to men.
- Short-chain fatty-acid producing genera (Dorea, Roseburia, Agathobacter) were more abundant in women.
- Specific genera showed sex-dependent associations with arterial stiffness: Roseburia negatively associated in men, while Bifidobacterium and Subdoligranulum positively associated in men.
Conclusions:
- Women in this Spanish cohort possess higher microbiome diversity and potentially protective bacterial genera.
- The influence of gut bacteria on arterial stiffness is modulated by host sex, underscoring the need for sex-specific approaches in cardiovascular research.
