The Impact of Nitrate-reducing Capacity of Oral Bacteria on Post-exercise Hypotension in Healthy Individuals.

Exercise is probably the most effective approach to reduce blood pressure. In fact, a single bout of exercise induces a physiological response known as Post-Exercise Hypotension (PEH) where a prolonged decrease in resting blood pressure occurs in the minutes and hours after exercise. However, it is not fully understood how this response triggers. Recent evidence suggests that oral bacteria may play a key role in blood pressure control by enhancing nitrite, and then nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability under resting conditions in humans. However, no previous study has investigated whether this is a key mechanism involve in PEH. Thus, the main aim of this study was to investigate if the oral nitrate/nitrite pathway is a key regulator of PEH and vasodilation in healthy humans.