This gut bug may help lower LDL cholesterol like statins: Scientists find how

Scientists have discovered that a bacterium called Bacteroides uniformis, which resides in the human gut, has the capability to lower cholesterol levels, similar to how statins work. This bacterium produces a small molecule, pentadecanoic acid (C15:0), which interferes with the body's cholesterol-making machinery. When mice were given B. uniformis, they exhibited significantly reduced plaque buildup and lower cholesterol levels, as compared to untreated animals.

The study, published in Nature, raises the possibility that beneficial gut microbes could be acting as tiny chemical factories, producing substances that protect against disease. However, the findings are still in the early stages, as researchers have not yet validated these results in human subjects.