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Regular consumption of probiotics may improve BP
Regular probiotic consumption for at least 8 weeks may be associated with a modest improvement in BP, according to results of a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Further, the magnitude of BP improvement associated with consumption of probiotic consumption was greater in adults with elevated BP, researchers found.
“The small collection of studies we looked at suggest regular consumption of probiotics can be part of a healthy lifestyle to help reduce high [BP], as well as maintain healthy [BP] levels,” Jing Sun, PhD, senior lecturer at Griffith Health Institute and School of Medicine, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, said in a press release. “This includes probiotics in yogurt, fermented and sour milk and cheese, and probiotic supplements.”
The research team analyzed nine trials that reported probiotic consumption and BP levels. They found that probiotic consumption was associated with a change in systolic BP of –3.56 mm Hg (95% CI, –6.46 to –0.66) and in diastolic BP of –2.38 mm Hg (95% CI, –2.38 to –0.93), compared with control groups.
Greater reduction in systolic and diastolic BP was observed in those who consumed multiple species of probiotics compared with a single species, according to the researchers.
Adults with a baseline systolic BP ≥130 mm Hg and diastolic BP ≥ 85 mm Hg experienced greater improvement in diastolic BP after consumption of probiotics compared with levels under those thresholds at baseline.
A significant reduction in systolic or diastolic BP was not observed if the intervention lasted less than 8 weeks.
When the researchers performed a subgroup analysis of studies with a daily dose of probiotic consumption of ≥1011 colony-forming units, they found a significant association between probiotic consumption and reduction in systolic BP and diastolic BP. However, there was not a significant reduction in studies with a daily probiotics dose of <1011 colony-forming units.
“We believe probiotics might help lower [BP] by having other positive effects on health, including improving total cholesterol and [LDL]; reducing blood glucose and insulin resistance; and by helping to regulate the hormone system that regulates [BP] and fluid balance,” Sun stated in the release.
Sun added that the studies were small and two of them analyzed probiotic consumption for just 3 to 4 weeks, which could have affected the meta-analysis.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.