(P10-25-26) Matcha Supplementation Attenuates High-Fat, High-Sugar Diet–Induced Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy by Reshaping the Gut Microbiota in Mice

Objectives: Matcha, a powdered form of green tea, is rich in bioactive compounds, including L-theanine and polyphenols, that have been associated with beneficial effects on cardiometabolic and gut health. This study aimed to evaluate whether dietary matcha supplementation attenuates high-fat, high-sugar diet (HFHSD)–induced cardiac hypertrophy and whether these effects are related to alterations in the gut microbiota along the gut-heart axis.

Methods: Six-week-old C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to either a normal chow diet (NCD) group or one of three HFHSD groups (HFHSD alone, HFHSD + 0.2% matcha, or HFHSD + 1% matcha). The dietary intervention lasted 10 weeks with continuous monitoring of body weight. Hearts were collected, weighed, and processed for histological analysis at the end of the study. Cardiomyocyte size was quantified using wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) staining. The gut microbiome was assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing of genomic DNA extracted from feces.

Results: After the 10-week dietary intervention, heart weight was significantly reduced in the 1% matcha-supplemented mice compared with HFHSD controls. WGA staining showed a significant increase in cardiomyocyte size in HFHSD-fed mice compared with NCD animals. Both 0.2% and 1% matcha supplementation significantly reduced cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area relative to HFHSD controls. Matcha supplementation also altered gut microbiome composition, characterized by a marked increase in abundance of beneficial taxa including Ligilactobacillus, Lactobacillus, Oscillospiraceae, while reducing potentially pathogenic taxa such as Enterobacteriaceae and Klebsiella.

Conclusions: Dietary matcha supplementation attenuated HFHSD–induced cardiac hypertrophy in mice, potentially via modulation of the gut microbiota. These findings suggest that matcha may improve cardiometabolic health through mechanisms involving the gut-heart axis. Future studies are needed to determine whether these reductions in hypertrophy translate into enhanced cardiac function and whether the observed microbiota changes exert causal effects on cardiovascular disease risk.

Funding Sources: This research is supported by USDA (2024-67018-42461).