£50,000 grant awarded for research into new product to help improve cardiovascular disease
- Wednesday, June 26, 2019
Dr Adele Costabile, from the Department of Life Sciences, has recently been awarded a £50,000 research grant from with Optibiotix Health to conduct a study on their new probiotic product, Lactobacillus plantarum, formulated to target risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
Dr Costabile will lead on this follow up study with 50 adults with high cholesterol to investigate the impact that Lactobacillus plantarum can have on cardiovascular disease risk factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The previous study was conducted with Optibiotix in 2017. Cardiovascular disease refers to conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels such as heart attacks and strokes. According to the NHS, these conditions affect around seven million people in the UK and is a significant cause of disability and death.
This product is currently being developed to address these health risks to lower people’s cholesterol levels and blood pressure and improve their overall health. Probiotics are live bacteria that have health benefits to support the gut, and are typically found in fermented drinks, live yoghurts and food supplements. The previous study conducted in 2017, found that Lactobacillus plantarum did lower cholesterol levels in fifty adults with normal to mild cholesterol levels.
Dr Costabile said “This new research project is a follow up study to investigate the impact of Lactobacillus plantarum in individuals with high cholesterol, the group that can benefit the most by the activity of this probiotic.”
OptiBiotix Health Plc is a Life Sciences company operating in one of the most progressive areas of biotechnological research to prevent and manage chronic lifestyle diseases.
The Department of Life Sciences at the University of Roehampton offers an outstanding undergraduate course in BSc Nutrition and Health and a postgraduate course in MSc Clinical Nutrition.