Oatmeal May Improve Heart Health by Lowering Cholesterol and Benefitting Microbiota

16 Mar 2017 --- Scientists at the Science Foundation Ireland–funded APC Microbiome Institute in Cork have revealed that eating porridge regularly could benefit overall heart health by lowering cholesterol and benefitting gut microbiota.

The study found that consumption of oat beta glucan not only lowered blood cholesterol in mice, but it also helped keep body weight down and benefited the gut microbiota, the community of microbes living in the intestines. The study also confirmed that these gut microbes play a role in heart health.

These new findings could spur on the supplement companies who are exploring the ingredient as a supplement opportunity. According to Innova Market Insights, the ingredient is already on the up, with launches of supplement products containing oat beta glucan having risen 17% from 2015 to 2016.

“Supplement companies should consider the gut microbiome-modifying effects of their products, in addition to the direct effects,” Catherine Stanton, Author of the study told NutritionInsight.

“Certainly, oat beta glucan is a safe dietary ingredient for safe long-term maintenance of cardiovascular and metabolic health, and could be taken as a supplement or in food products, such as porridge.”

“Taking oat beta glucan on regular basis certainly helps maintain healthy levels of blood cholesterol, but some people are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol and for those who need medication, taking oat beta glucan would likely also benefit them,” she added. 

However, Stanton added that, “we cannot say that consumers could medicate themselves with porridge to lower their Cholesterol, as porridge and the active ingredient oat beta glucan is a food ingredient, not a medication.” 

The researchers found that oat beta-glucan acted as a prebiotic, and increased bacteria in the gut which are being explored by others to treat obesity.

The study also found that oat beta-glucan altered both the composition and functionality of the gut microbiota. Furthermore, the level of butyrate, a type of fatty acid produced by gut bacteria which has been previously shown to protect against diet-induced obesity in mice, was elevated in this study.

“These results show we need to consider effects on the microbiome when treating cardiovascular disease through either food or medication,” said Prof Catherine Stanton, leader of the research at the APC Microbiome Institute and Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Co. Cork.

“The message is to take porridge regularly to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease whilst also protecting your gut microbiota.”

Cardiovascular disease is currently responsible for approximately 30% of deaths annually across the globe. Diet and exercise are known interventions to prevent or slow down the development of atherosclerosis but it has become evident that our gut bacteria also contribute. In the study mice were fed a high fat diet together with either a food supplement or medication over a period of 24 weeks.

The food supplements used in the study were plant sterol ester (the plant equivalent of cholesterol, currently added to some foods) and oat beta glucan (the fiber in porridge). The drug used was Atorvastatin, one of the ‘statin’ group of drugs.

Atorvastatin and plant sterol esters are known to reduce levels of ’bad‘ cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, or LDL) and triglycerides in the blood, while increasing levels of ’good‘ cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein, or HDL).

They are used to treat high cholesterol, and to lower the risk of stroke, heart attack, or other heart complications in people with type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, or other risk factors.

In this study, mice treated with Atorvastatin had similar physiology to the mice treated with oat beta glucan (reduced body weight and percentage body fat).

“There is established epidemiological data supporting the role of specific food constituents including oat beta glucan and plant sterols in cardiovascular health.”

“The current study suggests gut microbes as an additional important player in the interface between our environment and cardiovascular health” said Professor Noel Caplice, Professor of Cardiovascular Science and Director of the Centre for Research in Vascular Biology, UCC.

“Specifically it shows that certain foods may facilitate weight loss as well as encouraging growth of beneficial microbes in our intestines.”

“Understanding this balance between food, gut bacteria and health may have implications for development of a range of new food and therapeutic products targeting cardiovascular disease, the principal cause of death in men and women in the developed world.”

“As a population, we all consume a range of food and pharmaceutical ingredients which impact directly on our health,” said Dr Paul Ryan, first author on the research publication, published in the journal Microbiome.

“This study now highlights the importance of considering interactions between the gut microbiota and novel supplements or therapeutics, which may indirectly affect our health.”