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Review
. 2019 Jun 10;10(1):29.
doi: 10.1186/s13293-019-0240-z.

Sex, gut microbiome, and cardiovascular disease risk

Alexander C Razavi  1   2 , Kaitlin S Potts  2 , Tanika N Kelly  2 , Lydia A Bazzano  3   4
Affiliations
Review

Sex, gut microbiome, and cardiovascular disease risk

Alexander C Razavi et al. Biol Sex Differ. .

Abstract

Key differences exist between men and women in the determinants and manifestations of cardiovascular and cardiometabolic diseases. Recently, gut microbiome-host relations have been implicated in cardiovascular disease and associated metabolic conditions; therefore, gut microbiota may be key mediators or modulators driving the observed sexual dimorphism in disease onset and progression. While current evidence regarding pure physiological sex differences in gut microbiome composition is modest, robust research suggests that gut microbiome-dependent metabolites may interact with important biological pathways under sex hormone control, including toll-like receptor and flavin monooxygenase signaling. Here, we review key sex differences in gut microbiome interactions with four primary determinants of cardiovascular disease, impaired glucose regulation, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and obesity. Through this process, we propose important sex differences in downstream metabolic pathways that may be at the interface of the gut microbiome and cardiovascular disease.

Keywords: Blood pressure; Cardiovascular diseases; Gut microbiome; Insulin; Lipids; Obesity; Sex difference; TMAO.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Proposed mechanisms by which gut microbiota mediate sex differences in cardiovascular disease risk
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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