Lactobacillus Reuteri Supplement

SuperSmart’s lactobacillus reuteri supplement in delayed-release capsules offers significant benefits for cardiovascular health and helps regulate cholesterol.

How Does Lactobacillus Reuteri Benefit Heart Health?

The human gastrointestinal tract contains about 100 trillion bacteria, which form a vital interface between the genome and the environment. Potentially weighing up to 2 kilos, these bacteria are collectively known as microbiota and research increasingly shows they play a more significant role in overall health than we may have originally thought. Among the thousand or so recorded species of probiotic bacteria – living microorganisms that have evolved in the human body – are lactic bacteria, of which bifidobacteria, lactococcus, streptococcus, and lactobacillus are sub-categories.

Researchers are now discovering how important probiotics are for human health as a whole; their benefits extend well beyond those associated with the digestive and immune systems.

Animal research and now clinical studies have demonstrated that condition-specific probiotic supplements are fast-acting and effective for some metabolic health conditions, and are even free from side effects.

Lactobacillus reuteri produces an enzyme called BSH (bile salt hydrolase). This reduces intestinal absorption of dietary cholesterol, which is then excreted in stools. Like all fats, cholesterol requires conjugated bile acids in order to be absorbed. Studies show that taking L. reuteri may increase the excretion of cholesterol in stools by breaking the chemical bonds of conjugated bile acids. A second mechanism, and the subject of new research, could also play a part in regulating cholesterol and combating the risk of cardiovascular problems.

In addition to being reservoirs for excess cholesterol, bile acids are powerful signaling molecules that regulate cholesterol metabolism via the action of the farnesoid X receptor (FXR). When conjugated bile acids break apart in the presence of L. reuteri, that signaling is modulated, accelerating the breakdown and subsequent excretion of cholesterol and limiting the reabsorption of cholesterol from the intestine.

What do Studies Say About Lactobacillus Reuteri Probiotic Supplements?

Studies reveal the following about the potential Lactobacillus reuteri health benefits:

• Various animal studies have shown that this particular probiotic strain may contribute to reducing total cholesterol by 38% and triglycerides by 40% without affecting levels of HDL-cholesterol. Even with a high-fat, high-cholesterol, low-fiber diet, taking L. reuteri probiotics is one way to combat the rising of these substances.
• In another study, mice fed a Western diet were researched. The mice that received the Lactobacillus reuteri probiotic gained significantly less weight and accumulated less total and hepatic fat than those in a placebo group.
• In double-blind, placebo-controlled human studies, researchers reported that when subjects with hypercholesterolemia were given L. reuteri, there was a significant drop in total cholesterol (-9%) and LDL-cholesterol (-12%), as well as apo-B-100 (-8%), a marker of LDL lipoprotein size and a valuable indicator of risk of cardiovascular issues, CRP (C-reactive protein), an inflammation marker of around 62%, and levels of fibrinogen (-14%), an essential element of coagulation involved in blood clot formation.
• These convincing results were achieved after just 6–9 weeks of treatment, in complete safety and without the side effects associated with statins, while maintaining levels of HDL-cholesterol and Vitamin D at the same time, which are vital for the cardiovascular system.
• Another study has also highlighted the ability of Lactobacillus reuteri to increase by more than 26% serum levels of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D. It was the first clinical study to establish a link between oral supplementation with a probiotic and an increase in circulating Vitamin D – an essential vitamin for the cardiovascular system, bone health, and cell protection.

Lactobacillus reuteri capsules thus mark the start of a new era of probiotics, with effects that extend beyond the intestinal tract in both men and women, helping to inhibit the formation of significant physiological disorders in a totally safe, natural and inexpensive way. And, because it supports cardiovascular health, L. reuteri is becoming an ideal complement to other heart health supplements, such as phytosterols, fish oils, soy, or soluble fiber.