The impact of probiotic yogurt consumption on lipid profiles in subjects with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

• Published in: Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases, 2020-01, Vol.30 (1), p.11-22
• Main Authors: Pourrajab, Behnaz, Fatahi, Somaye, Dehnad, Afsaneh, Kord Varkaneh, Hamed, Shidfar, Farzad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biomarkers - blood; Cholesterol; Cholesterol - blood; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Evidence-Based Medicine; Female; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans; Hypercholesterolemia; Hypercholesterolemia - blood; Hypercholesterolemia - diagnosis; Hypercholesterolemia - diet therapy; Hypercholesterolemia - microbiology; Male; Meta-analysis; Middle Aged; Probiotic; Probiotics - administration & dosage; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Severity of Illness Index; Systematic review; Treatment Outcome; Triglycerides - blood; Yogurt; Yogurt - microbiology
• ISSN: 0939-4753; 1590-3729
• DOI: 10.1016/j.numecd.2019.10.001

Potential beneficial effect of probiotic yogurt on the lipid profile has raised much interest. However, the results are inconsistent in this regard. The aim of the study is to determine the effects of probiotic yogurt on serum lipid profile in individuals with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia. Online databases including PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Science Direct, Google Scholar and Igaku Chuo Zasshi were searched until March 19th 2019. The effect sizes were expressed as the weighted mean difference (WMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Seven eligible trials with 274 participants were included in this systematic review. Pooling of 9 effect sizes from these seven articles revealed a significant reduction in total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels following probiotic yogurt consumption (mean difference: −8.73 mg/dl, 95% CI: −15.98, −1.48, p-value = 0.018 and mean difference: −10.611 mg/dl, 95% CI: −16.529, −4.693, p-value = 0.000, respectively) without significant heterogeneity among the studies (I2 = 40.6%, p-value = 0.1 and I2 = 24.2%, p-value = 0.229, respectively). The results showed no significant changes in high density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Also, none of the variables showed a significant change for sensitivity analysis. Available evidence suggests that probiotic yogurt can significantly reduce total cholesterol and LDL-c in subjects with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia without a significant effect on HDL-c and triglyceride levels. •We reviewed the effects of probiotic yogurt intake on lipid profiles in mild to moderate hypercholesterolemic subjects.•Probiotic yogurt showed a significant decrease in serum total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels particularly in dosage ≥300 mg/day and intervention duration >4 weeks.•Probiotic yogurt had no significant effect on serum triglyceride and high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.