Heart health is closely tied with cholesterol and there are two main types of cholesterol in the body: LDL and HDL. LDL is often referred to as the ‘bad’ cholesterol in the body that if not maintained, can become a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. HDL, generally known as the ‘good’ cholesterol works to maintain healthy levels of total cholesterol by collecting excess LDL from around the body and carrying it back to the liver to be removed.
What does this have to do with probiotics?
We are learning that the microbiome plays a larger role in this area than previously thought. When the gut microbiome becomes unbalanced, the body’s healthy levels of cholesterol can be disrupted, which may lead to poor heart health.
Scientists have discovered that probiotic strain Lactobacillus reuteri NCIMB 30242, commonly referred to as LRC™, can help address this problem. LRC is formulated to help maintain the normal amount of cholesterol the body produces and support the body’s natural elimination of cholesterol.
Here’s how:
LRC produces an enzyme called bile salt hydrolase (BSH) which breaks apart bile acids. These bile acids are natural detergents made by the liver from cholesterol and are released into the intestine with the purpose of transporting dietary fat and cholesterol into the circulation. By breaking apart bile acids in the intestines, LRC™ helps remove cholesterol from the body and maintain healthy total and LDL-cholesterol levels already within the normal range.1, 2
LRC is the first clinically proven heart health probiotic to naturally support both total cholesterol levels and LDL-cholesterol levels. Along with cholesterol support LRC has been proven to:
- Support healthy Vitamin D levels in blood3
- Support healthy levels of the biomarkers hs-CRP & fibrinogen2
- Support overall digestive and immune function2,4
References:
1. Jones et al. Br J Nutr 2012.
2. Jones et al. Euro J Clin Nutr 2012.
3. Jones et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2013.
4. Jones et al. Exp Opin Biol Ther 2013
