Gut Bacteria That Lower Cholesterol Levels & Heart Disease Risk

These days, it seems like everyone is talking about gut health and the importance of having a healthy gut microbiome.

Ads for probiotic supplements are everywhere, and grocery stores can’t seem to keep kombucha and other fermented foods on the shelves.

Well, new research shows there may be yet another major reason to pay attention to our gut bacteria—it could impact our risk of heart disease.

Scientists discovered that certain bacteria living in our intestines may actually help reduce cholesterol levels and potentially lower the risk of heart problems.

Let’s take a look.

The Gut’s Cholesterol-Munching Bacteria

The study was conducted by researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital, and other centers. They looked at stool samples and data from over 1,400 participants in the long-running Framingham Heart Study.

Using advanced techniques like genetic sequencing, the researchers were able to identify specific types of gut bacteria that seem to be associated with lower cholesterol levels.

The key bacteria? A group called Oscillibacter.

People with higher amounts of Oscillibacter bacteria in their guts tended to have lower levels of cholesterol in their blood compared to those with less of this microbe. Through further experiments in the lab, the researchers figured out that Oscillibacter likely helps reduce cholesterol by breaking it down and metabolizing it.

It’s a nifty trick—these bacteria essentially munch on the cholesterol, making it less absorbable and eliminating more of it from the body before it can wind up in the bloodstream.

The Oscillibacter Sidekick

But Oscillibacter wasn’t the only cholesterol-busting bacteria identified. The researchers also found evidence that another type called Eubacterium coprostanoligenes may team up with Oscillibacter to pack an even stronger cholesterol-reducing punch.

Together, this dynamic duo of gut microbes appears to have the ability to keep cholesterol levels in a healthier range through their metabolic actions in the intestines.

With high cholesterol being a major risk factor for heart disease, this bacterial partnership could translate into better cardiovascular health.

The Promise of Microbiome-Targeting Treatments

While this study is still in the early stages, the findings open up the possibility of one day developing treatments that intentionally boost or add these specific bacteria to positively influence cholesterol levels.

Maybe probiotic supplements containing Oscillibacter and friends could become a new option for managing high cholesterol in the future. Or perhaps eating certain foods could help encourage the right gut environment for these bacteria to thrive naturally.

Of course, much more research would still need to be done. Scientists have to make sure promoting these microbes doesn’t cause any unintended negative effects. But the potential is there for an entirely new way of reducing heart disease risk.

For now, the main takeaway is that having a healthy, balanced gut microbiome may be another important factor in keeping your heart in good shape as you age.

So in addition to watching your diet, exercising, and managing stress, you may also want to start paying more attention to taking care of all those trillion tiny residents in your intestines.

P.S. Click here to learn about your gut’s secret agents…

Sources:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/certain-type-gut-bacteria-may-help-lower-heart-disease-risk

Gut Health Is All the Rage—Now It’s Linked to THIS Too?

The Gut’s Cholesterol-Munching Bacteria

The Oscillibacter Sidekick

The Promise of Microbiome-Targeting Treatments

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