No abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of probiotic and conventional yogurt on the lipid profile in type 2 diabetic people. In a randomized double-blind controlled trial, 60 people (23 males and 37 females) with type 2 diabetes and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) greater than 2.6 mmol/L were assigned to 2 groups. Participants consumed daily 300 g of probiotic yogurt containing Lactobacillus acidophilus La5 and Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 or 300 g of conventional yogurt for 6 wk. Fasting blood samples, anthropometric measurements and 3-d, 24-h dietary recalls were collected at the baseline and at the end of the trial. Probiotic yogurt consumption caused a 4.54% decrease in total cholesterol and a 7.45% decrease in LDL-C compared with the control group. No significant changes from baseline were shown in triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in the probiotic group. The total cholesterol:HDL-C ratio and LDL-C:HDL-C ratio as atherogenic indices significantly decreased in the probiotic group compared with the control group. Probiotic yogurt improved total cholesterol and LDL-C concentrations in type 2 diabetic people and may contribute to the improvement of cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Our results suggested that the weight-loss diet and probiotic yogurt had synergistic effects on T-cells subset specific gene expression in PBMCs, fat percentage, and body weight among overweight and obese individuals.

Probiotics are believed to have interaction with immune cells through sustained effects on gene expression of different cytokines and transcription factors. The present randomized doubled-blind controlled clinical trial was performed recruiting 75 individuals with BMI 25-35, who were randomly assigned to the following three groups: Group 1 (n = 25) who consumed regular yogurt as part of a low calorie diet [RLCD], group 2 (n = 25) who received probiotic yogurt with a LCD [PLCD] and group 3 (n = 25) who consumed probiotic yogurt without LCD [PWLCD] for 8 week. Participants in PLCD and PWLCD groups received 200 g/day yogurt containing Lactobacillus acidophilus La5, Bifidobacterium Bb12, and lactobacillus casei DN001 10(8) cfu/gr. The expression of the FOXP3, T-bet, GATA3, TNF-α, IFN-γ, TGF-β, and ROR-γt in PBMCs genes were assessed, before and after intervention. In three groups, ROR-γt expression was reduced (P = 0.007) and FOXP3 was increased (P < 0.001). The expression of TNFα, TGFβ, and GATA3 genes did not change among all groups after intervention. Interestingly, the expression of T-bet gene, which was significantly decreased in PLCD and PWLCD groups (P < 0.001), whereas gene expression of IFN-γ decreased in all three groups. Our results suggest that weight loss diet and probiotic yogurt had synergistic effects on T-cell subset specific gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells among overweight and obese individuals.

Background: Due to the enhanced oxygen requirement of the mitochondria-rich placenta primarily during the third trimester, pregnancy is associated with elevated levels of oxidative stress. This study was designed to determine the effects of daily consumption of probiotic yogurt on oxidative stress among Iranian pregnant women. Methods: This randomized single-blind controlled clinical trial was performed among 70 pregnant women, singleton primigravida, aged 18-30 in their third trimester. Subjects were randomly assigned to two groups to consume 200 g/day of either conventional yogurt (n = 33) or probiotic yogurt (n = 37) for 9 weeks. Fasting blood samples were taken at baseline and after a 9-week intervention to measure oxidative stress parameters. Results: Consumption of probiotic yogurt resulted in increased erythrocyte glutathione reductase (GR) levels as compared to the conventional yogurt (p = 0.01). Despite the significant effect of probiotic yogurt consumption on plasma glutathione (67.9 µmol/l, p = 0.01), erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (163 mmol/min/ml, p = 0.04) and serum 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine levels (-74.3 ng/ml, p = 0.04), no significant differences were found between the two yogurts in terms of their effects on the mentioned parameters. Conclusion: Consumption of probiotic yogurt among pregnant women resulted in increased levels of erythrocyte GR as compared to the conventional yogurt, but could not affect other indices of oxidative stress.