Effects of Lactobacillus plantarum Q180 on Postprandial Lipid Levels and Intestinal Environment: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel Trial

Probiotics can improve the intestinal environment by enhancing beneficial bacteria to potentially regulate lipid levels; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Lactobacillus plantarum Q180 (LPQ180) on postprandial lipid metabolism and the intestinal microbiome environment from a clinical perspective. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study was conducted including 70 participants of both sexes, 20 years of age and older, with healthy blood triacylglyceride (TG) levels below 200 mg/dL. Treatment with LPQ180 for 12 weeks significantly decreased LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.042) and apolipoprotein (Apo)B-100 (p = 0.003) levels, and decreased postprandial maximum concentrations (C(max)) and areas under the curve (AUC) of TG, chylomicron TG, ApoB-48, and ApoB-100. LPQ180 treatment significantly decreased total indole and phenol levels (p = 0.019). In addition, there was a negative correlation between baseline microbiota abundance and lipid marker change, which was negatively correlated with metabolites. This study suggests that LPQ180 might be developed as a functional ingredient to help maintain healthy postprandial lipid levels through modulating gut environment.