The Improvement of Hypertension by Probiotics: Effects on Cholesterol, Diabetes, Renin, and Phytoestrogens

Abstract

Probiotics are live organisms that are primarily used to improve gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, lactose intolerance, and to inhibit the excessive proliferation of pathogenic intestinal bacteria. However, recent studies have suggested that probiotics could have beneficial effects beyond gastrointestinal health, as they were found to improve certain metabolic disorders such as hypertension. Hypertension is caused by various factors and the predominant causes include an increase in cholesterol levels, incidence of diabetes, inconsistent modulation of renin and imbalanced sexual hormones. This review discusses the antihypertensive roles of probiotics via the improvement and/or treatment of lipid profiles, modulation of insulin resistance and sensitivity, the modulation of renin levels and also the conversion of bioactive phytoestrogens as an alternative replacement of sexual hormones such as estrogen and progesterone.

Dairy Probiotic Foods and Bacterial Vaginosis: A Review on Mechanism of Action

“…Some mostly documented health effects of probiotics are: relieving diarrhea, improving lactose intolerance, relief of respiratory and urinary tract infections and its immunomodulatory, anticarcinogenic, antidiabetic, hypocholesterolemic and hypotensive properties [25,34,35]. LAB also have some other advantageous effects such as vitamin synthesis, improvement of mineral and nutrient absorption, deprivation of antinutritional factors, and/or modulation of GI physiology and reduction of pain perception.…”

Dairy Probiotic Foods and Coronary Heart Disease: A Review on Mechanism of Action

“…Some mostly documented effects are relieving diarrhea, improving lactose intolerance and its immunomodulatory, anticarcinogenic, antidiabetic, hypocholesterolemic and hypotensive properties (Shah, 2007;Mai, and Draganov, 2009;Lye, et al, 2009). Probiotic bacteria, by competing with enteric pathogens for available nutrients and binding sites, reducing the pH of the gut, producing a variety of chemicals which inactivate viruses, enhancing specific and non-specific immune responses and increasing mucin production, can reduce incidence, severity and duration of diarrhea (Homayouni, et al, 2007;Allen, et al, 2010;Ejtahed, and Homayouni Rad, 2010).…”

“…By reducing inflammatory responses, probiotics have been shown to correct insulin sensitivity and reduce development of diabetes mellitus. This anti-inflammatory effect has been proposed to be rooted in immunomodulatory properties of probiotic bacteria (Lye, et al, 2009). By reducing cholesterol absorption in the gut, incorporation of cholesterol into cell membranes, enzymatically deconjugation of bile salts and conversion of cholesterol to coprostanol, probiotics can reduce blood cholesterol (Lye, et al, 2009;Ooi, and Liong, 2010).…”

“…By reducing cholesterol absorption in the gut, incorporation of cholesterol into cell membranes, enzymatically deconjugation of bile salts and conversion of cholesterol to coprostanol, probiotics can reduce blood cholesterol (Lye, et al, 2009;Ooi, and Liong, 2010). Release of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides from the parent protein through proteolytic action explains how probiotics can exert antihypertensive effects (Lye, et al, 2009). …”

Physiological Characteristics and Anti-Obesity Effect of Lactobacillus plantarum K6 isolated from Kimchi

“…절, 혈중 콜레스테롤 저하, 과민성 대장증후군 같은 위장관 질환의 개선 효과, 암 예방, 면역체계 조절, 지질대사 개선 등의 연구 결과 가 보고되고 있다 (Bhathena et al, 2009;Lye et al, 2009;Rafter, 2004;Baken et al, 2006;Kim et al, 2014;Kang et al, 2013) …”