Serum Cholesterol-lowering Effect of Fermented Milk and Effect of Intestinal Microflora Composition on Function of Fermented Milk

Fermented milk has been developed with its functionalities, and its health-promoting ability has been spotlighted due to its relationship with diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, and gut microbiota. As national burden of cardiovascular disease increases over time, there is a need to prevent hypercholesterolemia. To achieve that, gut microbiota, which is altered by host’s diet and environment, plays important roles in lowering cholesterol in the blood. Moreover, fermented milk may be effective as a cholesterol-lowering agent by altering gut microbiota composition. Gut microbiota may alter not only functions of the fermented milk but also bio-accessibility of functional materials. These results suggested that gut microbiota composition influences the impact of fermented milk. Thus, we should understand how functional materials are degraded by gut microbiota and absorbed into the gut.