Heart disease is a global killer.
One biomarker, cholesterol levels, receives much attention and is usually confronted when high with dietary change and increasingly with statin medications. Probiotics have shown some promise in this area.
Researcher Douglas B. DiRienzo recently assessed 26 clinical studies and two meta-analyses. Significant reductions were seen with strains of lactobacilli, enterococci, and bifidobacteria. A strain of Lactobacillus reuteri seemed to outperform others tested in this particular batch of studies. L.reuteri reduced total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol and also improved inflammatory biomarkers. The full results appear in Nutrition Reviews.
Time will tell if probiotics can be effective adjuncts to lifestyle changes in cardiac disease.