Study of How Fitness, Oral Bacteria, and Blood Flow to Muscles Are Connected Including People With and Without Heart Failure or Peripheral Artery Disease

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to explore how fitness levels relate to the types of bacteria found in the mouth and the bodys ability to send blood to skeletal muscles. The study focuses on people with varying heart and blood vessel health, including those with heart failure, peripheral artery disease, and healthy individuals. It investigates how oral bacteria help convert dietary nitrate into nitric oxide, a molecule important for heart and metabolic health, and how this impacts blood flow and exercise capacity. Participants will provide mouth swabs, saliva samples, and perform a cycling exercise test to maximum effort. They will also have blood draws and wear a 24-hour device that monitors blood pressure. Some participants may choose to drink a small amount of concentrated beetroot juice, which contains nitrate, to study its effect on nitric oxide production. This observational study collects data at baseline and follow-up time points up to six months. Throughout the study, researchers will assess the diversity and amount of nitrate-reducing bacteria in the mouth, measure nitrate-to-nitrite conversion in saliva and blood, and evaluate aerobic fitness. Participants will undergo vascular testing and complete questionnaires about oral health. The study includes multiple visits over several months to track changes, with safety and communication ensured. The goal is to better understand how oral bacteria and nitric oxide relate to cardiovascular health and exercise ability.

Associations Between the Microbiome, Skeletal Muscle Perfusion, and Fitness Status