# Effects of Dietary Patterns and Sodium Intake on the Gut Microbiome and Metabolome

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · 2024 · $577,162

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Research on the gut microbiome as a target for disease prevention and therapy is an intriguing arena for public
health because microbes and their metabolites are modifiable. Observational studies, murine models and a
few trials in humans suggest dietary factors exert many of their health effects in the host through modification
of the gut microbiome and its associated metabolome. Moreover, early evidence indicates the microbiome and
metabolome modify the effects of diet interventions on health outcomes, suggesting the microbiome and
metabolome have a role in precision nutrition. However, rigorously controlled feeding trials in humans are still
needed to determine the effects of whole diet inverventions on the microbiome and metabolome, and to test if
the microbiome and metabolome modify or mediate the effects of diet on cardiovascular risk factors, including
blood pressure. Of particular interest are the effects of dietary patterns and level of sodium (Na+) intake.
The primary objective of this study is to examine the effects of the American Heart Association recommended
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet (compared to a typical U.S. diet) and lower dietary Na+
intake vs. higher dietary Na+ intake on the gut microbiome and the untargeted and targeted metabolome—
including short chain fatty acids—in a multi-racial cohort of adults with type 2 diabetes enrolled in the DASH4D
trial – a recently funded randomized, cross-over, isocaloric controlled feeding trial. A secondary objective is to
explore if the gut microbiota and their metabolites modify and/or mediate the effects of diet patterns and Na+ on
blood pressure, thusly informing precision nutrition. We will also examine if effects vary by sex. In particular,
we propose to perform whole genome shotgun metagenomics, high-throughput metabolomics profiling, and
targeted quantification of short chain fatty acid metabolites. We will jointly investigate the microbiome and
metabolome measured in stool and blood collected before and after each of the diet periods in the feeding trial.
Dr. Mueller (PI) will carry out this research with an outstanding group of interdisciplinary co-investigators in the
collaborative and eminent environments of the Johns Hopkins Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology and
Clinical Research and the Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Mueller’s co-investigators have
complementary expertise in feeding trials (Appel), -omic statistics (Zhao), bioinformatics (Debelius, Bittinger),
metabolomics (Rebholz), and short chain fatty acids (Pluznick). With the support of Dr. Mueller’s research
team, he is well positioned to complete the proposed activities. The findings have great potential to: (a) identify
objective measures of adherence to the DASH diet and lower dietary Na+ intake; (b) reveal novel mechanisms
underlying the BP effects of dietary patterns and Na+ intake; (c) offer new disease prevention strategies and
therapeutic possibilities and; ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10841593
- **Project number:** 5R01HL166473-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- **Principal Investigator:** NOEL T MUELLER
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $577,162
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-06-01 → 2028-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10841593

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10841593, Effects of Dietary Patterns and Sodium Intake on the Gut Microbiome and Metabolome (5R01HL166473-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10841593. Licensed CC0.

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