One peer-reviewed article that I chose to focus on for this assignment dealt with cholesterol lowering Probiotic yogurt and dietary protein use with resistance training. This article concerning the cholesterol lowering yogurt reports the effects of Probiotic yogurt on individuals with Hypercholesterolemia. This is an interesting topic currently because of the rise in obesity and more common occurrence of cholesterol in the general public. Due to the fact that I plan on becoming a physical education teacher, I believe that it is good to know about nutrition and how new products do or do not fulfill their claims.
This article examines the effect of Probiotic yogurt in relation to regular yogurt in lowering cholesterol. The study used individuals with mild to moderate Hypercholesterolemia and fed them different types of yogurt to help determine whether Probiotic yogurt is better at reducing cholesterol. The study started by having the subjects consume 300 grams of milk per day while not having yogurt of any kind. After a two week period, half of the subjects were given yogurt with Probiotics in them and the others were given ordinary yogurt for six weeks. A four week period where the study was suspended allowed for the subjects to stabilize and then the study started again but with the groups switched after the first two weeks. Through blood tests of lipid levels in each of the subjects, the study found that yogurt with two specific "Probiotic bacteria strains, L. acidophilus and B. lactis, had a cholesterol-lowering effect in hypercholesterolemia subjects".
I really like this study and feel that more could be done. It is an interesting topic that could potentially help those with high cholesterol.
Forgot to add the article-
Ataie-Jafari, Asal; Larijani, Bagher; Majd, Hamid Alavi; Tahbaz, Farideh. Cholesterol-Lowering Effect of Probiotic Yogurt in Comparison with Ordinary Yogurt in Mildly to Moderately Hypercholesterolemic Subjects. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism: Journal of Nutrition, Metabolic Diseases and Dietetics. Vol. 54, No. 1, 2009.
It seems like yogurt can do just about anything these days. There are so many commercials for different yogurts that claim to regulate your system or lower your cholesterol. It's interesting. I wonder why so many companies are choosing yogurt to add to.
From what you've said, it sounds like a reliable study and it would be interesting to see more on this yogurt and others with similar claims. Maybe the study was funded by the company that makes the yogurt, they might have a small bias. If the yogurt really does what it claims to I wonder if there are any problems that may be associated with this. It will take a lot more studies, and time, to find out.
I thought probiotics only regulated digestion since they're technically a form of bacteria/microorganisms? I guess I'm hoping that this study also controlled for other dietary habits of the participants. I mean, don't Cheerios and Quaker Oatmeal already claim they're the best ways to lower cholesterol? I hope that people aren't so naive to believe that they can dramatically change their unhealthy condition by eating yogurt. I suppose it's an interesting thing to do further research on.