You’ve likely heard about the importance of probiotics for gut health and a strong immune system. But did you know that scientists are discovering ways that certain bacteria may influence how much fat you carry on your body, your cholesterol levels, and even play a role in conditions such as diabetes?
In this article, we’re looking specifically at scientific research into the L. plantarum probiotic and how it’s been shown to contribute to better overall metabolic health and a leaner physique.
In This Article:
- Humans Cannot Live Without Bacteria
- An Introduction to L. Plantarum Probiotic
- L. Plantarum Is One of the Best “Good Guys”
- The Anti-Inflammatory Potential of L. Plantarum
- L. Plantarum Benefits for Gut Health
- L. Plantarum Probiotic Counters Dyslipidemia
- L. Plantarum as a Diabetes Fighter
- L. Plantarum Probiotic and Anti-Obesity
Humans Cannot Live Without Bacteria
Bacteria are believed to have been among the first life forms to appear on Earth and today they can be found in almost every imaginable habitat on the planet. Many bacteria live in symbiotic and parasitic relationships with other forms of life – including us humans. In fact, we literally cannot live without bacteria!
For instance, only some bacteria have the genes and the enzymes needed to make vitamin B12 (cobalamin), which is essential for metabolic processes that go on every day in every cell of your body.
Millions of bacteria living in your gut also help you to:
- digest your food
- absorb nutrients
- make vitamins
- protect your gut lining
- manage inflammation within safe levels
- maintain a happy, stable mood
- and much more
Fermentation Uses Bacteria to Our Benefit
For centuries, humans have deliberately exploited bacteria to our advantage. Many cultures have traditionally fermented milk, vegetables, and even meat to make these foods safer for consumption, to be able to store them longer, and to extend their range of flavors and aromas [1].
This process of fermentation is possible because of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which have the ability to convert sugars into lactic acid [2].
Today, LAB are widely used in industrial food fermentation for the production of fermented milk products, bread, cereals, and vegetables, as well as for manufacturing various pharmaceutical products [3-5].
An Introduction to L. Plantarum Probiotic
Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) is a non-gas-producing LAB that has long been used in commercial fermentation processes [6].
It is known to be naturally present in human breast milk, cheese, and other fermented food products such as kimchi. Nowadays, L. plantarum is increasingly being recognized as a health-giving probiotic.
What Are Probiotics?
Just in case you’re not exactly clear on what a probiotic is, the term literally means “for life”. The accepted definition of probiotics is “live microorganisms, which when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host” [7,8].
In simple terms, probiotics are the “good” bacteria that you consume in food or supplement form that help you get and/or stay healthy.
What Is the Gut Microbiota?
Your gut contains a mixture of health-promoting, harmful, and neutral bacterial species, collectively known as microbiota. Your gut microbiota is shaped by the events of your early life such as antibiotic usage. As you grow into adulthood, it is further influenced by factors such as your [9]:
- body mass index (BMI) level
- exercise frequency
- lifestyle
- cultural and dietary habits
As a result, the composition of your gut microbiota is unique to you, like a fingerprint.
L. Plantarum Is One of the Best “Good Guys” to Have on Your Side
Lactobacillus plantarum is recognized as a safe probiotic by both the FDA and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) [10,11]. Lactic acid bacteria such as L. plantarum have a positive influence on your gut microbiota and, by extension, on your health and well-being in multiple ways.
Thanks to its ability to resist acid and bile salt, L. plantarum is able to move unharmed through the stomach and upper gut and eventually colonize the lower gut [12].
Let’s now explore 5 specific ways L. plantarum has been shown in laboratory research to support metabolic health.
#1 – The Anti-Inflammatory Potential of L. Plantarum
Inflammation is an essential process in which both immune and non-immune cells are mobilized to protect you from bacteria, viruses, toxins, and infections [13].
However, systemic, low-grade, ongoing/chronic inflammation, has been shown to trigger the development and the speed of progression of a wide range of health issues – including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Systemic, chronic inflammation has also been implicated in various autoimmune conditions and metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease [14,15].
Promisingly, L. plantarum appears to have significant anti-inflammatory potential and may prove beneficial in the treatment of these metabolic disorders.
For example, an increase in levels of molecules known as lipopolysaccharides (LPS) results in inflammation and has been shown to induce colitis in a laboratory mouse model [16]. Several strains of L. plantarum have been shown to prevent LPS-induced inflammation, thereby inhibiting colitis formation in these mice [17].
#2 – L. Plantarum Benefits for Gut Health
Since probiotics were first recognized for their role in improving gut health, this is the minimum requirement for any probiotic to be deemed effective and beneficial.
L. plantarum has been demonstrated in multiple animal studies to go far beyond this low bar and helps relieve the symptoms of painful gut conditions such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. (Note: ulcerative colitis is mainly seen in the colon and/or rectum, whereas Crohn’s disease can manifest in any part of the intestine.)
Promisingly, L. plantarum consumed in drinking water led to improvements in the large intestine in a laboratory mouse model of IBD, along with a significant reduction in inflammation levels [18].
Similarly, consumption of L. plantarum was seen to lower levels of pro-inflammatory immune signaling molecules known as cytokines in mice, along with reducing the severity of induced colitis [19].
In another study, treatment with L. plantarum was seen to reduce damage to the colon in a rat model of ulcerative colitis, while also lowering the expression of various pro-inflammatory immune molecules [20].
#3 – L. Plantarum Probiotic Counters Dyslipidemia
Dyslipidemia is defined as having abnormal levels of blood lipids and lipoproteins. For example, patients with this condition exhibit higher than normal levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), and lower than normal levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C).
Dyslipidemia has been linked to a greater likelihood of obesity, type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, and coronary heart disease.
In laboratory experiments, obese mice that consumed L. plantarum showed improved markers of dyslipidemia with reductions in their:
- total cholesterol
- triglycerides
- LDL-C
They also exhibited lower levels of intestinal inflammation [21] while simultaneously their HDL-C (“good” cholesterol) levels increased.
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study, 100 healthy subjects were randomly assigned to consume L. plantarum or a placebo for 12 weeks. Daily consumption of L. plantarum had a beneficial effect on markers of inflammation and also lowered levels of total cholesterol and LDL-C, especially in those subjects who were at risk of inflammation [22].
L. Plantarum Showed Positive Benefits for NAFLD
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) – typically characterized by excessive fat accumulation in liver cells known as hepatocytes – can be induced in experimental animals by feeding them a high-fat diet.
Promisingly, these laboratory animal models showed improved liver function and lipid metabolism when they consumed various strains of L. plantarum at the same time as their high-fat diet.
In one such laboratory animal model of NAFLD, L. plantarum was seen to restore normal liver function, while also lowering the expression of pro-inflammatory molecules and reducing the accumulation of fat in the liver [23].
#4 – L. Plantarum as a Diabetes Fighter
Diabetes is a chronic disease related to insulin abnormality. This condition results in higher than normal blood sugar levels, along with many adverse health consequences including a significantly higher risk of heart and kidney disease, impaired vision, and more.
Deficient insulin production in the pancreas is a hallmark of type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent, juvenile or childhood-onset diabetes. On the other hand, type 2 diabetes – also known as noninsulin-dependent or adult-onset diabetes – results from the ineffective use of insulin by the body, for various reasons.
In a laboratory mouse model of type 2 diabetes, oral administration of L. plantarum found to lower levels of blood sugar and hemoglobin A1C, an important marker of long-term diabetes control. Further, the results of this study suggested that L. plantarum has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties [24].
Similarly, in a laboratory rat model of insulin resistance, L. plantarum, in combination with a preparation of fermented fruits and vegetables, was seen to prevent body weight gain.
L. plantarum also reversed increases in levels of [25]:
- fasting blood glucose
- insulin
- total cholesterol
- triglycerides
- LDL-C
Better Diversity of Gut Bacteria
In another study, mice on a high-fat diet given L. plantarum, in combination with green tea powder, showed a significantly increased diversity of bacteria in their intestines, along with reduced levels of inflammation markers and metabolic markers that are typically associated with diabetes [26]. (Note: a higher diversity of gut bacteria is considered highly beneficial/desirable by most health experts.)
#5 – L. Plantarum Probiotic and Anti-Obesity
In 2015, more than a third of US adults and 15–20% of children and adolescents had been diagnosed as obese. By 2030, this number is expected to rise to almost 50 percent [27]!
Similar to other metabolic disorders, obesity has been linked to a higher risk of systemic, chronic inflammation – the silent killer that increases the risk of many adverse health conditions.
Promisingly, strains of L. plantarum have been shown to have anti-obesity properties in laboratory experiments [28]. Interestingly, genetic profiles of gut microbiota – known as microbiomes – that are specifically associated with obesity have been identified, which are often found to be prevalent in obese individuals [29].
The mesentery is an organ that attaches our intestines to our posterior abdominal wall. It helps to store fat and also allows blood vessels, lymphatics, and nerves to supply the intestines. In laboratory animal experiments, L. plantarum was seen to reduce the levels of fat deposited in the mesentery [30].
Similarly, administration of L. plantarum and L. curvatus (another probiotic) to mice on a high-fat diet was seen to [31]:
- reduce body weight gain
- prevent fat accumulation
- lower insulin levels
- lower total cholesterol
- lower liver inflammation
In conclusion, many strains of L. plantarum are promising probiotic candidates that can offer significant health benefits for your gut as well as for better management of abnormal cholesterol and lipid levels and their consequences, diabetes, obesity, and other metabolic disorders.
Organixx ProBiotixx+ formula contains a single, super-strain of Lactobacillus plantarum, designed to help alleviate constipation… eliminate gas and belly bloat… support your entire immune system… and give you total digestive protection.
Research into the role probiotics play in health has exploded over the last decade or so. We now know more about
What Are Probiotics Used For?
Before we dive into the specifics about L. plantarum, let’s discuss why probiotics are essential for your health in the first place. Probiotic means “for life.” In a nutshell, probiotics are “good” bacteria you typically consume via food or supplement form. They support life by protecting you from harmful parasites, viruses, and “bad” bacteria that can cause sickness and disease.
Probiotics and Gut Health
Almost everyone has heard that probiotics are good for digestive health. What you may not know, however, is that probiotics are also essential for:
- healthy metabolism
- heart health [1]
- mental health
- immune system health
- balancing hormones [2]
- managing weight [3]
- keeping allergies at bay
- preventing chronic disease
- supporting your liver
- …and so much more!
Remember that your digestive system is home to up to 80% of all your immune cells. The result? You simply cannot survive and feel good without the right amount and the right kind of probiotics. And perhaps the most important type of beneficial bacteria for your overall health is Lactobacillus plantarum.
What Makes Lactobacillus Plantarum Probiotic So Special?
A decade ago we heard very little about the gut microbiome and “good” and “bad” bacteria, but all that has changed.
As mentioned earlier, Lactobacillus plantarum, or L. plantarum, has recently been the focus of much research and is a rising “superstar” amongst probiotics. What’s interesting is that it’s a very common kind of beneficial bacteria found in cultured vegetables.
L.
This barrier prevents pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli from penetrating the lining of your gastrointestinal tract and entering your bloodstream.
L. Plantarum Withstands Antibiotics Better Than L. Casei
The Lactobacillus
One Chinese investigation [4] conducted in 2015 compared the survival rate of Lactobacillus
The researchers discovered that L.
Experts agree that if you need to take antibiotics, an adequate amount of L.
Landmark 2017 Study: L. Plantarum Saves Newborn Lives
People of all ages need a healthy amount of L. plantarum in their digestive tract for overall good health. This is especially true for the very young
Sepsis is a dangerous and life-threatening blood infection that causes major injury to tissues and organs, often resulting in death. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report (gathering data from the Indian National Neonatal Perinatal Database), sepsis is the most common cause of neonatal death in that country [8].
It is also responsible for 30% to 50% of newborn deaths in all developing countries. While the numbers are smaller, sepsis is a leading cause of neonatal death in the United States as well [9].
A recent study sponsored by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) in conjunction with the University of Nebraska Medical Center and institutions in India had a very promising outcome. Over 4,000 pregnant women participated in the study that found an L. plantarum probiotic regimen lowered the incidence of sepsis in newborns by up to 40% [10].
Other Positive Benefits for Newborns
The researchers also found that the L. plantarum probiotic regime had other positive side effects for the newborns. In addition to reducing rates of sepsis, these babies also had an 82% lower rate of Gram-positive bacterial infections and a 75% reduction in Gram-negative bacteria. This, in turn, led to healthier babies overall, with 34% fewer cases of pneumonia and other respiratory infections.
The researchers stated in a press release for the NIH that the introduction of the probiotic “may have boosted immunity throughout the entire body, not just in the digestive system [11].”
Amongst the common opportunistic Gram-positive bacterium that can create disease states in humans are:
- Streptococcus
- Staphylococcus
- Corynebacterium
- Listeria
- Bacillus
- Clostridium
Gram-negative bacterial infections are difficult to remedy as they tend to be hardier and more resistant to antibiotics [12].
The NIH study is an amazing testament to the power of one simple probiotic and its ability to literally save lives. Because of this, pregnant mothers may be well advised to discuss with their doctors how to ensure sufficient quantities of L. plantarum during pregnancy.
Lactobacillus Plantarum & Digestive Disorders
In addition to its benefits for babies, L. plantarum can be extremely beneficial for those with digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, and colitis.
In a Polish clinical trial [13], all participants who were given Lactobacillus plantarum in liquid form experienced less abdominal pain and regulation in stool consistency.
The researchers also alluded to the possibility that L. plantarum may someday become part of regular treatment for IBS.
How L. Plantarum Crowds Out Golden Staph and Other Bad Bacteria
One of the reasons why L. plantarum probiotic is so effective against some of the most aggressive opportunistic bacterium as well as the most common digestive complaints has to do with its unique genetic makeup. We stated earlier that one of the unique characteristics of L. plantarum is its ability to “adhere” to the intestinal wall.
The specific type of adhesion, called “mannose-specific adhesions,” makes it possible for L.
Another unique characteristic of L.
In a February 2019 report published in the journal Microbial Pathogenesis [15], researchers found that anti-microbial properties in both L.
Both of these characteristics and more provide evidence that L. plantarum can be a powerful aide for individuals with specific digestive conditions.
Some research has also discovered that Lactobacillus
Sources of L. Plantarum
Luckily, L. plantarum can be found in many foods. It is a plant-based bacterium (as its name indicates) and appears in abundance in foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, and cultured vegetables.
Still, some experts estimate that only 25% of Americans [18] have L. plantarum colonies in their system, largely due to eating the standard American diet of processed foods, lots of sugar, and unfiltered tap water.
As a result, one of the simplest ways to ensure that you get enough Lactobacillus
You may have grown up thinking that all bacteria are “bad.” Hopefully, now you know better! Opportunistic bacteria can indeed wreak havoc on your system, and even be life-threatening.
What’s going to help keep these “bad guys” at bay are probiotics. And L. plantarum is turning out to be one of the most powerful of them all. It’s one of the “good guys” that all of us need throughout our lives. Be sure you’re getting enough Lactobacillus plantarum in food or supplement form every day.