Effects of ewe’s milk yogurt (whole and semi-skimmed) and cow’s milk yogurt on inflammation markers and gut microbiota of subjects with borderline-high plasma cholesterol levels: a crossover study

Purpose Ewe’s milk yogurt is richer in proteins, minerals and short- and medium-chain fatty acids compared to cow’s milk yogurt. We aimed to evaluate the effects of cow’s milk yogurt (CW, 3.0% fat), semi-skimmed (ES, 2.8% fat) and whole ewe’s milk yogurts (EW, 5.8% fat) on inflammatory markers and gut microbiota in subjects with borderline-high plasma cholesterol. Methodology 30 adults (16 women) were randomized into a crossover study to consume 250 g/yogurt/day during three 5-week periods (4-week washouts). Plasma insulin, leptin, adhesion molecules, cytokines and gut microbiota composition (qPCR) were analysed. Rates of change were used to assess treatment effects both in the whole group and in subgroups of subjects with different cholesterol/HDL-c ratio (Cho-I group A: the top 6 women and 4 men values; Cho-I group B: remaining subjects). Results The yogurts showed no different effects on the inflammatory biomarkers or the microbiota of the whole group. However, ICAM-1 and P-selectin rates of change were lower after EW compared to CW and ES, respectively, in subjects of the Cho-I group A ( P = 0.047 and P = 0.020). Women of this group showed lower MCP-1 rates of change after EW compared to ES and CW ( P = 0.028, both). Blautia coccoides–Eubacterium rectale decreased in women of the Cho-I group A during EW vs. ES ( P = 0.028). Conclusion Ewe’s yogurt effects on inflammatory markers and microbiota were not different from those after cow’s yogurt, but the attenuation of some inflammatory biomarkers with ewe’s whole-milk yogurt in subjects with the highest TC/HDL-c deserves further study.