Discover what science says about probiotics and heart health. The current evidence suggests that some probiotic strains may modestly influence heart-health risk factors, but results vary by strain, dose, and duration. When it comes to cholesterol, blood pressure, and overall cardiovascular risk, probiotics appear to offer potential benefits rather than guaranteed outcomes. This page highlights the evidence, what you can realistically expect, and the important limits to consider when evaluating probiotics and heart health. If you’re exploring how gut microbiome data could inform heart-health decisions, InnerBuddies provides a white-label Gut Health Operating System to power your testing programs. On cholesterol, meta-analyses have found small reductions in LDL cholesterol with certain probiotic interventions, often in the range of a few percentage points. The effects are more consistent in some populations and with multi-strain formulations, while other studies show minimal or no change. For blood pressure, the data are even more modest: some studies report small decreases in systolic and diastolic pressure, with larger effects observed in people with hypertension or higher baseline values. Together with other heart-healthy lifestyle measures—diet, exercise, and weight management—probiotics and heart health may contribute a supportive signal rather than serving as a stand-alone solution. Regarding cardiovascular risk, the evidence is less clear and long-term trials are limited. Many studies focus on intermediate markers rather than hard clinical outcomes like heart attacks or strokes, and results are highly dependent on the exact probiotic strains and products used. While some individuals may experience improvements in lipid profiles or blood pressure, benefits are not guaranteed across all probiotic formulations. A prudent takeaway is that probiotics can be a complementary component of heart-health strategies, rather than a replacement for medical treatment or established dietary guidance. InnerBuddies connects the science to practical testing and personalized guidance for probiotics and heart health. The InnerBuddies Gut Health Operating System is a modular platform that powers gut microbiome testing and interpretation for brands and consumers. It features a Gut Microbiome Health Index from 0 to 100, derived through our exclusive collaboration with EAFIT University in Colombia, to summarize overall gut health. It also exposes Bacteria abundances for a top 40 panel—showing how you compare against a healthy cohort—and Bacteria functions categorized as positive or negative, highlighting pathways relevant to heart-health related processes such as inflammation, lipid metabolism, and microbial metabolites. With Target Group analysis, you can zoom in on subpopulations and pathways that matter for Heart Health-focused topics like Healthy Aging, Endurance Sport, and more. Add personalized nutrition advice that uses 3-day food diaries alongside stool data to tailor recommendations, and personalized probiotics and prebiotics advice designed to match your microbiome profile and goals. InnerBuddies also provides gut test solutions directly to consumers, with all B2B options available to individuals as well. Learn more on our product page, subscription page, and partner program: InnerBuddies product page, InnerBuddies subscription page, InnerBuddies B2B page.