Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. It is very important that you take care of your cardiovascular health as you get older. Researchers have found that what you eat in your foods can affect the natural microorganisms or bacteria in your gut. In a fascinating way, researchers also found that your gut bacteria can metabolize the food you eat which affect your health, including immune response and even cardiovascular health.

At Vascular Care Specialists of Los Angeles, Dr. Mathew Cheung and Dr. Peter Lin discuss the role of your gut bacteria in helping your cardiovascular health. In this post, you will learn how these gut bacteria can help your cardiovascular health by lowering cholesterol, blood pressure, and triglycerides.

Probiotics are live microorganisms that are intended to have health benefits when consumed or applied to the body. They can be found in yogurt and other fermented foods, dietary supplements, and beauty products.

Although people often think of bacteria and other microorganisms as harmful “germs,” many are actually helpful. Some bacteria help digest food, destroy disease-causing cells, or produce vitamins. Many of the microorganisms in probiotic products are the same as or similar to microorganisms that naturally live in our bodies.

In fact, your intestines contain trillions of microbes, mainly bacteria, that affect your health in many ways. Probiotics are usually bacteria such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria. However, not all are the same, and they can have different effects on your body.

For example, your gut bacteria control how much energy you digest from certain foods. Therefore, they play an important role in your weight.

Your gut bacteria can also affect your blood sugar, brain health and heart health by reducing cholesterol levels, blood pressure and inflammation. Probiotics can help restore healthy gut bacteria, which may improve your heart health.

Probiotics are commonly found in fermented foods since the fermentation process often causes these bacteria to grow. They are also added to certain foods, like yogurt. Here are some good food sources of probiotics:12

• Yogurt
• Kefir
• Kimchi
• Kombucha
• Sauerkraut
• Miso

There are also an increasing number of foods with added probiotics, like sparkling beverages or cereals. However, sometimes these products or the ones listed above may not contain legitimate probiotic strains, causing them to degrade before exerting a benefit on the gut.

High blood pressure is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and it may be lowered by certain probiotics.

A clinical study of 36 smokers found that taking Lactobacilli plantarum for 6 weeks significantly reduced blood pressure. A similar study found a reduction in blood pressure, especially under the following conditions:

• When blood pressure was high originally
• When multiple types of probiotics were taken at the same time
• When the probiotics were taken for more than 8 weeks
• When the dose was high

A larger study that combined the results of 14 other studies, including 702 people in total, found that probiotic fermented milk also significantly reduced blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.

Several clinical studies have shown that certain probiotics may be able to lower blood cholesterol, particularly in people with high cholesterol levels.

One study in particular, which is a review of 15 studies, specifically examined the effects of Lactobacilli. There are two main types of cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, which is generally seen as “good” cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is generally viewed as “bad” cholesterol. This review found that, on average, Lactobacillus probiotics significantly reduced both total cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol levels. The review also found that two types of Lactobacillus probiotics, L. plantarum and L. reuteri, were particularly effective in reducing cholesterol levels.

Another study of 127 people with high cholesterol, taking L. reuteri for 9 weeks significantly lowered total cholesterol by 9% and “bad” LDL cholesterol by 12%.

A large meta-analysis study, which combined the results of 32 other studies, also found a significant beneficial effect in reducing cholesterol. In this study,  L. plantarum, VSL#3, L. acidophilus and B. lactis were particularly effective.

Probiotics were also more effective when taken by people with higher cholesterol, when taken for a longer period of time and when taken in capsule form.

There are a number of ways that probiotics may reduce cholesterol. For instance, probiotics can bind with cholesterol in the intestines to stop it from being absorbed. They also help produce certain bile acids, which help metabolize fat and cholesterol in your body. Additionally, certain probiotics can also produce short-chain fatty acids, which are compounds that can help prevent cholesterol from being formed by the liver.

Probiotics may also help reduce blood triglycerides, which are types of blood fat that can contribute to heart disease when their levels are too high.

A study of 92 people who had high blood triglycerides found that taking two probiotics, Lactobacillus curvatus and Lactobacillus plantarum, for 12 weeks significantly reduced blood triglycerides.

However, other studies have found that probiotics may not affect triglyceride levels. Two of these large meta-analyses, one combining 13 studies and the other combining 27 studies, found no significant beneficial effect of probiotics on blood triglycerides.

Overall, more human studies are needed before drawing conclusions on whether or not probiotics can help reduce blood triglycerides.

Inflammation occurs when your body switches on your immune system in order to fight an infection or heal a wound.

However, this can also happen as a result of a bad diet, smoking or an unhealthy lifestyle, and if it happens over a long time it can contribute to heart disease.

One study of 127 people with high cholesterol levels found that taking a Lactobacillus reuteri probiotic for 9 weeks significantly reduced the inflammatory chemicals C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen.

Fibrinogen is a chemical that helps blood to clot, but it may contribute to plaques in the arteries in heart disease. CRP is a chemical made by the liver that is involved with inflammation.

Another study of 30 men with high cholesterol levels found that taking a food supplement containing fruit, fermented oatmeal and the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum for 6 weeks also significantly reduced fibrinogen.

Most people benefit from regularly consuming prebiotic- and probiotic-rich foods since they promote a healthy gut microbiome. They’re an important part of a well-rounded diet, and they contain other important nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. However, if you are severely ill or immunocompromised, it’s best to speak with your healthcare provider before adding more of these foods to your diet.

Even for the general public, whether or not you should take a prebiotic or probiotic supplement depends on your diet, and any health conditions. For example, for someone who doesn’t like food sources of probiotics or who is on a course of antibiotics, it may be worth trying a probiotic supplement. However, these supplements can be expensive and there’s still a lot left to be learned about them, so splurging on a costly supplement is often unnecessary for those who eat food sources of probiotics and prebiotics.

Since many sources of prebiotics are also sources of fiber, it’s best to increase your intake slowly if you’re not already consuming these foods regularly. Increasing your intake too quickly can lead to uncomfortable digestive symptoms.

Probiotics are live microbes that have certain health benefits. There is good evidence that certain probiotics can reduce cholesterol, blood pressure and inflammation. However, most of the study participants already had high blood pressure or cholesterol. Furthermore, not all probiotics are the same and only some may benefit heart health.

If you have high cholesterol or blood pressure, certain probiotics may be useful in addition to other medicines, diet and lifestyle changes.

At Vascular Care Specialists of Los Angeles, we strive to provide the best service, care, and results possible. If you have circulation problem related to your arteries or veins and would like to seek consultation with a vascular surgeon, give us a call at 626-275-9566 to schedule an appointment. You can also visit us at www.vcsla.com for more information.