Reduce Your Cholesterol Levels with a New Probiotic

In a recent study, researchers found that two daily doses of a new probiotic reduced the level of cholesterol-bearing molecules in the bloodstream as well as LDL and total cholesterol. The research team presented these intriguing results at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2012. 

What are Probiotics? 

As you may already be aware, probiotics are live microorganisms (in this case, bacteria which can be found in the gut) that are believed to provide beneficial effects. Most people get their supply of probiotics in yogurt or other dietary supplements. 

These forms of high cholesterol treatment have been drawing a lot of attention from the medical community, as researchers are trying to better understand how probiotic supplements can affect certain chronic conditions like heart disease. In previous clinical trials, scientists had found that a formulation of bacteria, called Lactobacillus reuteri NCIMB 30242, was capable of reducing bad cholesterol. 

Probiotics and Cholesterol Esters

In this latest high cholesterol clinical trial, scientists examined whether the same probiotics could be used to reduce LDL cholesterol and the level of cholesterol esters (these are molecules of cholesterol which are connected to fatty acids) in the blood. These cholesterol esters have been associated with a higher level of cardiovascular disease risk.

Over the course of the study, the research team tracked the level of cholesterol esters that were bound to saturated fats. The researchers felt that this was a good place to start, given that saturated fat has been linked to dangerous arterial plaque buildup, and this is a serious risk for people with coronary artery disease. 

Drawing Up a New High Cholesterol Study

This clinical trial involved 127 adult volunteers who all had been diagnosed with high cholesterol. The scientists gave half of the study participants two doses of L. reuteri NCIMB 30242 every day, and the other half of the participants were given placebo tablets. 

Following the nine week period allotted for the study, researchers found that the participants who had been taking the probiotic now had LDL cholesterol levels that were 11.6 percent lower than the control group. Additionally, the results showed that the level of cholesterol esters decreased by 6.3 percent and cholesterol ester saturated fatty acids decreased by 8.8 percent, compared to the participants who were given placebos. Though the probiotics reduced total cholesterol by up to 9.1 percent, HDL cholesterol levels and blood triglycerides remained unchanged by these daily supplements. 

Bacterial Impact on Bile Salts

Many scientists believe that Lactobacillus bacteria alone is capable of impacting cholesterol levels in more than one way, one of which being the breaking up of these molecules called bile salts. For this study, L. reuteri NCIMB 30242 was formulated and fermented in order to optimize its effect on bile salts and cholesterol. 

Based on the reported correlations between bile measurements in the gut and LDL reduction, the results of this clinical trial suggest that this probiotic succeeded in breaking up the bile salt, which causes the gut to absorb less cholesterol overall. 

An Established Probiotic

Fortunately, this probiotic seems to be effective at doses of just 200 milligrams per day, a far smaller amount than what is commonly used for other cholesterol lowering supplements. What’s more, this probiotic strain, L. reuteri NCIMB 30242, already has an established history of safe usage, and all the participants in this latest study seem to have tolerated this probiotic supplement quite well. However, researchers will now need to figure out if the effect of the probiotic differs between various ethnic groups or the sexes.