Tate & Lyle shares study revealing benefits of probiotic-prebiotic combination to heart health

In a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Basic to Translational Science, Irish researchers have discovered novel links between gut microbes, inflammation and heart disease. Additionally, the study demonstrated that giving a single probiotic combined with a soluble dietary fiber protects against heart disease. The study used Tate & Lyle’s PROMITOR^® Soluble Corn Fibre as the prebiotic component.

The study shows the profound impact of the gut-heart connection on cardiac health. For the first time, a human scale model revealed the full extent of the “gut-heart axis”, showing how gut microbe imbalance and inflammation originating in the gut can contribute to heart damage. The study found that a combination of a probiotic and prebiotic – referred to as a “synbiotic” – can significantly reduce heart muscle damage caused by diet-induced cardiac disease.

This research, led by scientists from APC Microbiome Ireland (APC), a world-leading Research Ireland center based at University College Cork (UCC) and Teagasc (the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority), was conducted in collaboration with Tate & Lyle, a world leader in ingredient solutions for healthier and tastier food and beverages. The findings demonstrate the potential of reducing the risk of heart disease – especially in people with poor diets and obesity, half of whom experience cardiovascular issues – by manipulating the gut microbiome with synbiotics.

"This is the first time that a bacteria residing only in the gut has successfully been used to treat heart disease associated with obesity and high blood pressure, and our synbiotic treatment equals some of the best available cardiac drugs in a human scale model. This work opens new avenues for potentially groundbreaking disease-modifying therapy in patients with obesity, high blood pressure and diet-related heart disease," said Prof. Noel Caplice, an APC Principal Investigator, Chair of Cardiovascular Sciences at UCC, and Consultant Cardiologist at Cork University Hospital.

Prof. Catherine Stanton, Senior Principal Research Officer at Teagasc Moorepark Food Research Centre and an APC Principal Investigator, emphasized the innovative potential of this work: “This study highlights the critical role the gut microbiome plays in our health and physiology. Our results are a testament to the power of harnessing gut microbes to protect against some chronic diseases like heart failure. It’s an exciting step forward in personalised nutrition.

Dr Kavita Karnik, Global Head of Nutrition, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs at Tate & Lyle praised the innovative work, commenting: "At Tate & Lyle, we are proud to support and partner in cutting-edge research that explores how our dietary fibres, when combined with probiotic strains, can be used to improve health outcomes. It is exciting to see the integral role played by PROMITOR^® Soluble Corn Fibre in this unique symbiotic combination. This work creates new opportunities to leverage our science and ingredients to have a positive impact on significant public health challenges such as obesity and associated cardiometabolic outcomes."

The paper, "Targeting the Gut-Heart Axis Improves Cardiac Remodelling in a Clinical Scale Model of Cardiometabolic Syndrome," is available to read online here.