Probiotics and Gut Health

Inclusion Criteria:

- BMI ≥ to 25 and less than 35 kg/m^2

- Increased waist circumference (men: ≥ 94 cm, women: ≥ 80 cm)

- At least one of the metabolic syndrome criteria-

- serum triglycerides: ≥ 150 mg/dL

- HDL cholesterol: ≤ 40 mg/dL in men, ≤ 50 mg/dL in women

- blood pressure: ≥ 130 mmHg systolic or ≥ 85 mmHg diastolic

- fasting plasma glucose ≥ 100 mg/dL

Exclusion Criteria:

- allergy to dairy

- smoking and/or use of tobacco products

- systolic blood pressure ≥ 160 mmHg

- diastolic blood pressure > 100 mmHg

- fasting glucose ≥ 126 mg/dL

- history of myocardial infarction, cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke, diabetes
mellitus, liver disease, kidney disease, thyroid disease (unless controlled on
medication)

- use of cholesterol or lipid lowering medications

- use of anti-hypertensive or glucose lowering supplements (psyllium, fish oil capsules,
soy lecithin, niacin, fiber, flax, phytoestrogens, and stanol/sterol supplemented
foods)

- refusal to discontinue nutritional supplements, herbs, vitamins, or other probiotics

- clinical diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) e.g. Chron's disease or
ulcerative colitis

- Use of antibiotics within the last 2 months

- excessive alcohol consumption (≥ 14 standard drinks per week)

- regular use of anti-inflammatory medications (e.g. aspirin, ibuprofen)