The effects of consumption of milk containing Lactobacillus casei on weight gain and serum lipid profile of rats fed high lipid diet

Hyperlipidemia is one of the main causes of cardiovascular diseases which have a high mortality throughout the world. Consumption of products containing specific strains of microbes as probiotics, produces positive effects in the host by balancing the flora of the digestive system. L.casei is a probiotic and the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of consumption of milk containing L.casei on serum lipid profile of rats fed high lipid diet. This was an experimental study in which 30 male albino wistar rats with a body weight of 200±15 gr were randomly allocated to two groups of treatment and control each containing 15 rats and adapted to a high lipid diet (11.47%) and water containing milk (25%). Rats in both groups received high lipid diet and water containing 25% milk for 48 days with the difference that rats in the treatment group received water containing L.casei considering that water consumption is created throughout the experiment, the amount of L.casei added to milk was calculated to each rat consumed 109 CFU bacteria per day. Independent t-test revealed that at a level of α= 0/05 mean levels of total cholesterol and LDL-C of rats in the treatment group was significantly lower than that of control group (p< 0/05), but the mean levels of triglyceride, HDL-C and VLDL-C was not significant. Also increase in body weight was significantly higher in the treatment group compared to the control group (p< 0/01). Long term daily consumption of milk containing L.casei improve serum lipid profile by lowering total cholesterol level and also increase the rate of body growth