U.S. Department of Health & Human Services      Search the NIH Website
          Virtual Tour
          Staff Directory
          En Español Site Menu Home
			
			Health Information
				Health Care Providers & Facilities
							Health Info Lines
							HealthCare.gov
							Science Education Resources
							NIH Clinical Research Trials and You
							Talking to Your DoctorMore »
					Search Health Topics
						Quick Links
						MedlinePlus Health Info
							NIH News in Health
							Wellness Toolkits
			
			Grants & Funding
				Grants Home Page
							Find Funding
							Due Dates
							How to Apply
							About Grants
							Policy & Compliance
							Grants News/Blog
							Contracts
							Loan RepaymentMore »
					Quick Links
						RePORT
							eRA Commons
							NIH Common Fund
			
			News & Events
				News Releases
							Digital Media Kits
							Media Resources
							Media Contacts
							Images and B-roll
							Events
							Social MediaMore »
					Quick Links
						NIH News in Health
							NIH Research Matters
							NIH Record
			
			Research & Training
				Medical Research Initiatives
							Science Highlights
							Science Education
							Research in NIH Labs & Clinics
							Training Opportunities
							Library Resources
							Research Resources
							Clinical Research Resources
							Safety, Regulation and GuidanceMore »
					Quick Links
						PubMed
							Stem Cell Information
							OppNet
							NIDB
							NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research
			
			Institutes at NIH
				List of Institutes and Centers
							NIH Office of the Director
							Directors of NIH Institutes and Centers
							NIH Institute and Center Contact InformationMore »
					Quick Links
						NCI
              	NEI
              	NHLBI
              	NHGRI
              	NIA
              	NIAAA
              	NIAID
              	NIAMS
              	NIBIB
              	NICHD
              	NIDCD
              	NIDCR
              	NIDDK
              	NIDA
              	NIEHS
              	NIGMS
              	NIMH
              	NIMHD
              	NINDS
              	NINR
              	NLM
              	CC
              	CIT
              	CSR
              	FIC
              	NCATS
              	NCCIH
			
			About NIH
				Who We Are
							What We Do
							Jobs at NIH
							Visitor Information
							Frequently Asked Questions
							Contact UsMore »
					Quick Links
						The NIH Director
							Take the Virtual Tour
							NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health®
							Impact of NIH Research
							Science, Health, and Public Trust
 You are here Home News & Events NIH Research Matters
 NIH Research Matters
 April 16, 2024 Gut bacteria may reduce cholesterol and lower heart disease risk At a Glance Researchers pinpointed gut bacteria that affect levels of cholesterol and other compounds linked to heart disease.
	The findings suggest that the risk of heart disease might be lowered with strategies to alter the levels of specific gut bacteria.
 A young woman and older man preparing a salad.
 Different people have different resident microbes in and on their bodies. The trillions of microbes in the human intestines influence not just digestion and gut health, but how organs throughout the body function. Levels of certain microbes in the gut have been associated with the risk of health conditions like diabetes, liver disease, and cancer. Scientists have thought that certain gut microbes may also play a role in cardiovascular disease (CVD). But which microbes might affect the risk of CVD—and how they might do this—has been unclear. Much remains unknown about how gut microbes process, or metabolize, compounds like cholesterol that affect CVD risk. In a new study, funded in part by NIH, researchers led by Dr. Ramnik Xavier from the Broad Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard studied bacteria in the stool of more than 1,400 people participating in the Framingham Heart Study, a long-term study of heart health. The team analyzed the bacterial genomes (the complete sets of genes) in the stool samples. They also studied blood samples and cardiovascular health measurements from the participants to identify microbes and metabolic pathways that are associated with CVD. The results were published on April 2, 2024, in *Cell*. The researchers identified several species of bacteria whose levels were associated with blood markers of CVD. Such markers included cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood glucose levels. Microscope image of green, rod-shaped Oscillibacter bacteria.
 Higher levels of one group of bacteria called *Oscillibacter* were strongly associated with lower levels of cholesterol, both in the stool and the blood. *Oscillibacter* were also linked with other blood markers of reduced CVD risk, such as lower triglycerides and glucose and higher HDL (high-density lipoprotein). The reductions in cholesterol by *Oscillibacter* appeared to be related to genes for enzymes that break down cholesterol in the intestines. This might lead to less cholesterol making its way into the bloodstream. To confirm that *Oscillibacte*r could process cholesterol, the researchers grew several *Oscillibacter* strains from the stool samples and then fed them cholesterol. The bacteria took up the cholesterol and broke it down into smaller molecules that don’t raise the risk of CVD. The team identified enzymes from other bacteria that were also associated with lower cholesterol levels. A detailed knowledge of the microbes and metabolic pathways that affect CVD risk may eventually lead to personalized therapies that manipulate gut bacteria. “Our research integrates findings from human subjects with experimental validation to ensure we achieve actionable mechanistic insight that will serve as starting points to improve cardiovascular health,” Xavier says. —by Sharon Reynolds
 Related Links Gut Microbes May Affect Motivation to ExerciseCOVID-19 Disrupts Gut MicrobiomeGut Bacteria May Contribute to Abnormal Blood Vessel FormationGut Microbe Drives AutoimmunityWhen HDL Cholesterol Doesn’t Protect Against Heart DiseaseGut Microbe Provokes Release of Inflammatory SubstanceYour Body’s Bugs: Nurturing Healthy MicrobesThe MicrobiomeNIH Human Microbiome ProjectBlood CholesterolFramingham Heart Study **References:**Gut microbiome and metabolome profiling in Framingham heart study reveals cholesterol-metabolizing bacteria. Li C, Stražar M, Mohamed AMT, Pacheco JA, Walker RL, Lebar T, Zhao S, Lockart J, Dame A, Thurimella K, Jeanfavre S, Brown EM, Ang QY, Berdy B, Sergio D, Invernizzi R, Tinoco A, Pishchany G, Vasan RS, Balskus E, Huttenhower C, Vlamakis H, Clish C, Shaw SY, Plichta DR, Xavier RJ. *Cell*. 2024 Apr 11;187(8):1834-1852.e19. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.03.014. Epub 2024 Apr 2. PMID: 38569543. **Funding:**NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK); Center for Microbiome Informatics and Therapeutics.
 In this Edition
  
  Gut bacteria may reduce cholesterol and lower heart disease risk
  Rejuvenating the immune system by depleting certain stem cells
  Sensor monitors bladder fullness
Search NIH Research Matters
  
  Search NIH Research Matters' stories
Connect with Us
  
  Subscribe to get NIH Research Matters by email

RSS feed
	Facebook
	Email us**Mailing Address:**
	NIH Research Matters
	Bldg. 31, Rm. 5B52, MSC 2094
	Bethesda, MD 20892-2094
Popular Stories
  
  Plastic particles in bottled water

Gum disease-related bacteria tied to colorectal cancer

Intermittent fasting for weight loss in people with type 2 diabetes

How excess niacin may promote cardiovascular disease

How SARS-CoV-2 contributes to heart attacks and strokes
About NIH Research Matters
  
  **Editor:** Harrison Wein, Ph.D.

**Assistant Editors:** Vicki Contie and Brian Doctrow, Ph.D.

***NIH Research Matters***is a weekly update of NIH research highlights reviewed by NIH’s experts. It's published by the Office of Communications and Public Liaison in the NIH Office of the Director.

ISSN 2375-9593
 Connect with Us Contact Us
      X
      Facebook
      Instagram
      YouTube
      Flickr
      More Social Media from NIH
 Footer
    NIH Home
      Virtual Tour
      En Español
      Visitor Information
      Frequently Asked Questions
      Privacy Policy
      Disclaimers
      Accessibility
      NIH Website ArchivesNondiscrimination Notice
      Freedom of Information Act
      No Fear Act
      HHS Vulnerability Disclosure
      Office of Inspector General
      USA.govNIH...Turning Discovery Into Health®
    National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
 Back to Top