In addition to lowering cholesterol, research shows that probiotics also could help get a person’s blood pressure under control.

In a study reported in Hypertension, people who consumed probiotics had an average reduction in systolic blood pressure (the top number in a reading) of about 3.6 mmHg, and an average reduction in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) of about 2.4 mmHg.

The researchers, who analyzed nine separate studies on the subject, found that probiotics were most helpful to people with blood pressure higher than 130/85.

The formulations that worked best were those that combined multiple types of bacteria.

Duration was also important; the probiotics only worked in people who took them for at least two months.

Diabetes is a condition in which the pancreas is unable to produce enough of the hormone insulin or use it effectively, which results in damaging levels of blood glucose.

People with diabetes can also benefit from probiotics.

Cornell researchers engineered a strain of lactobacillus to secrete a Glucagon-like peptide (GPL- 1), which they then administered orally to diabetic rats for 90 days.

Subsequently, the rats receiving the engineered probiotic had 30 percent lower blood glucose.

The technology was licensed to a pharmaceutical company, which is working to produce a pill, but some studies have also shown that L. reuteri also has glucose-lowering properties.