Home Ingredients AB-LIFE® (Lactobacillus plantarum CECT 7527, CECT 7528 and CECT 7529)

AB-LIFE® (Lactobacillus plantarum CECT 7527, CECT 7528 and CECT 7529)

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum
Evidence Level
Limited
5 Clinical Trials
5 Documented Benefits
2/5 Evidence Score

AB-LIFE® is a probiotic from AB-Biotics, now part of Kaneka, that combines three strains of Lactobacillus plantarum (now Lactiplantibacillus plantarum), CECT 7527, 7528 and 7529, in equal parts. It has been studied for blood cholesterol, a marker rather than a heart outcome. In placebo-controlled trials of one capsule or sachet of 1.2 billion CFU a day for 12 weeks, total cholesterol fell more than on placebo in an AB-Biotics-led trial, and LDL cholesterol fell slightly more in an independent German trial of 86 adults. In a Chinese trial of 136 adults, LDL cholesterol did not differ from placebo in the main analysis and fell only among those who took the product as directed. HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure did not change in the German trial. A trial that added red yeast rice tested a different product. Reported side effects were few and mild.

Studied Dose 1.2 billion CFU (one capsule or sachet) once a day for 12 weeks in the placebo-controlled trials. A 4-week open study escalated weekly from one to four capsules a day. A trial of the strains with 10 mg of monacolin K used 1 billion CFU.
Active Compound Live Lactobacillus plantarum (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum) strains CECT 7527, CECT 7528 and CECT 7529, also coded KABP011, KABP012 and KABP013, blended in equal parts (1:1:1) with inert excipients such as maltodextrin. Trial capsules held 1.2 billion CFU of the combined strains.

Benefits

Total cholesterol, a blood marker, in a maker-led 12-week trial

In a double-blind trial of 60 adults with raised cholesterol, one capsule of 1.2 billion CFU a day for 12 weeks lowered total cholesterol 13.6 percent from baseline versus 4.2 percent on placebo, a significant difference. LDL cholesterol did not differ significantly from placebo overall, only in a higher-cholesterol subgroup defined after the fact. A 2016 report re-presents the same trial.

Supported by Trial 1, Trial 2

LDL cholesterol, a blood marker, in independent trials

In a German trial of 86 adults with untreated raised LDL, 12 weeks lowered LDL by 6.6 mg/dL while it rose 2.3 mg/dL on placebo, a small difference. In a Chinese trial of 136 adults, the main analysis found no difference from placebo; LDL fell slightly more only among the 101 who took it as directed and avoided antibiotics.

Supported by Trial 2, Trial 4

HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure

In the independent German trial, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure and arterial stiffness did not differ from placebo after 12 weeks. In the maker-led trial, HDL cholesterol also did not differ from placebo in the full report; a later abstract from the same authors on the same trial described HDL and triglyceride changes as significant.

Supported by Trial 2, Trial 1

Bile acids and LDL particles in a small open study

In a 4-week study of 20 healthy adults with overweight and no placebo group, escalating daily doses lowered conjugated bile acids in the blood, ApoB and small LDL particles, and non-HDL cholesterol fell 6.2 mg/dL after the first week. AB-Biotics part funded it and three authors work there; without a control group the changes cannot be firmly attributed to the probiotic.

Supported by Trial 4

With red yeast rice: a separate combination product

A 12-week trial in 39 adults tested the three strains together with red yeast rice supplying 10 mg of monacolin K. Unadjusted cholesterol changes did not differ from placebo; after adjusting for unequal past cholesterol treatment, LDL and total cholesterol fell more. This is another product, and its results cannot be credited to the probiotic alone.

Supported by Trial 5

Mechanism of action

1

Bile salt hydrolase activity

In laboratory tests the three strains showed bile salt hydrolase activity, strongest when combined. This enzyme deconjugates bile salts so more are lost in the stool, and the liver uses cholesterol to replace them. In a small open study in people, conjugated bile acids and fibroblast growth factor 19 in the blood fell during intake.

2

Cholesterol uptake and binding in culture

In culture, the strains took up cholesterol from the medium and bound part of it to their cell surface. Whether this happens to a meaningful extent in the human gut has not been shown.

3

Short-chain fatty acid production

In laboratory culture the strains, especially CECT 7529, produced propionic and butyric acids, short-chain fatty acids proposed to influence lipid metabolism. Effects of this in people have not been established.

Clinical trials

1
CECT 7527, 7528 and 7529 and Cholesterol: 12-Week RCT (Br J Nutr)
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial: one capsule a day of 1.2 billion CFU of the three-strain mix, or the same capsule without bacteria, for 12 weeks; two of the four authors, including the corresponding author, list AB-Biotics, the mix's maker; no registry number given; a 2016 report by the same authors (Mediterr J Nutr Metab) shows matching baseline and 12-week figures and appears to describe the same trial (Fuentes et al. 2013, Br J Nutr)

60 adults aged 18 to 65 with raised cholesterol (30 per group).

Total cholesterol fell 13.6 percent from baseline versus 4.2 percent on placebo, and 12-week values differed significantly between groups. LDL cholesterol (down 14.7 versus 5.8 percent) and oxidized LDL only trended lower than placebo, and HDL did not differ. In a subgroup with higher starting total cholesterol, defined after the fact, total cholesterol, LDL and oxidized LDL fell 17.4, 17.6 and 15.6 percent from baseline and were lower than placebo; in the lower subgroup only total cholesterol differed from placebo. These are blood markers, not heart outcomes.

2
Independent German RCT: LDL Cholesterol After 12 Weeks
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial at Leibniz University Hannover: one capsule a day of 1.2 billion CFU (1:1:1) or maltodextrin placebo for 12 weeks; primary outcome LDL cholesterol; registered DRKS00020384; funded by the German Research Foundation, no competing interests declared; an earlier conference abstract of the trial lists an AB-Biotics R&D author (statistical support) and a SymbioPharm business development director as coauthors, with SymbioPharm supplying the product (Kerlikowsky et al. 2025, Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins)

86 adults aged 30 to 75 with untreated LDL cholesterol of 160 to 220 mg/dL (43 per group).

LDL cholesterol changed by minus 6.6 mg/dL on the probiotic and plus 2.3 mg/dL on placebo (P = 0.006), and total cholesterol fell 10.4 mg/dL on the probiotic, a significant difference from placebo (P = 0.045). HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, arterial stiffness and overall gut microbiota did not differ between groups.

3
Chinese RCT in 136 Adults: Primary LDL Analysis Not Significant
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial: one sachet a day of the three strains (1:1:1, 1.2 billion CFU, a Life-space product) or maltodextrin for 12 weeks; primary outcome change in LDL cholesterol; registered ChiCTR2200058631; part funded by the BYHEALTH Nutrition and Health Research Foundation, with two authors from the BYHEALTH Institute, and both study products were prepared by By-Health Co., Ltd. (Ma et al. 2026, NPJ Sci Food)

136 adults with moderately raised blood lipids not on medication; 120 completed.

In the intention-to-treat analysis, LDL and total cholesterol did not differ significantly from placebo (P = 0.075 and 0.053). In the per-protocol set of 101 adherent participants without antibiotic use, LDL cholesterol fell 0.118 mmol/L and total cholesterol 0.163 mmol/L more than on placebo (both p < 0.05). Mild adverse events, mainly digestive discomfort, did not differ between groups.

4
Single-Arm Dose-Escalation Study: Bile Acids and Lipoproteins
PubMed

Single-center, single-arm pilot study with no placebo: 1.2 billion CFU capsules, one a day in week 1 rising to four a day in week 4; registered NCT05378230; funded in part by AB-Biotics (Kaneka group), with three AB-Biotics employees among the authors (Padro et al. 2024, Cardiovasc Res)

20 healthy adults with overweight (10 men, 10 women), aged 25 to 60, not taking lipid-lowering drugs.

Conjugated bile acids and fibroblast growth factor 19 fell. Non-HDL cholesterol fell most after week 1 on one capsule a day (minus 6.2 mg/dL from baseline, P = 0.033), and ApoB100, ApoB48 and small LDL particles fell. Changes were measured against baseline only, with no control group.

5
Other Product: The Three Strains Plus Red Yeast Rice (Monacolin K)
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 1 billion CFU of the three strains plus red yeast rice extract with 10 mg of monacolin K, once daily for 12 weeks; primary outcome LDL cholesterol; retrospectively registered NCT04677335; funded by AB-Biotics, one author an AB-Biotics employee (Guerrero-Bonmatty et al. 2021, Nutrients)

39 adults with total cholesterol of 200 mg/dL or more, statin-naive or having stopped a statin for intolerance (21 active, 18 placebo).

Unadjusted LDL and total cholesterol changes did not differ from placebo. After adjusting for a baseline imbalance in recent cholesterol treatment (81 versus 22 percent), LDL cholesterol (p = 0.023) and total cholesterol (p = 0.011) fell more than on placebo. No adverse effects were noted. The result reflects the combination, not the probiotic alone.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

In a 12-week trial of 136 adults, mild adverse events, mainly digestive discomfort, occurred at similar rates on the probiotic and placebo, no severe events were reported, and liver and kidney markers did not change.
A conference abstract of the 12-week German trial reported no adverse events or liver enzyme changes.
In a 90-day rat study, no adverse effects were seen up to the highest dose tested, and genome analysis found no transferable antibiotic resistance genes in the three strains. This is animal and laboratory work.
NCCIH notes that few studies have looked at probiotic safety in detail and that the risk of harmful effects, including infections, is greater in people with severe illnesses or compromised immune systems. Ask a doctor before use in these situations.

Important Drug interactions

Cholesterol-lowering medicines: the trials enrolled people not taking lipid-lowering drugs, so use alongside a statin or other lipid medicine has not been tested in a controlled trial. Tell your prescriber, and do not use it in place of prescribed treatment.
Red yeast rice combinations: some products pair these strains with red yeast rice, whose monacolin K is a structural analogue of lovastatin. Check the label and ask your prescriber before combining such a product with a statin.
Immunosuppressive medicines: NCCIH notes a greater risk of harmful effects from probiotics in people with compromised immune systems; ask the prescribing clinician first.
No drug interaction studies of this blend have been published.

Frequently asked questions about AB-LIFE® (Lactobacillus plantarum CECT 7527, CECT 7528 and CECT 7529)

What is AB-LIFE used for?

It is sold to support healthy blood cholesterol levels. In 12-week placebo-controlled trials of 1.2 billion CFU a day, total or LDL cholesterol fell somewhat more than on placebo in an AB-Biotics-led trial and in an independent German trial, while a Chinese trial found no difference in its main analysis. Cholesterol is a blood marker, and no trial has measured heart outcomes.

How much AB-LIFE was used in studies?

The placebo-controlled trials used one capsule or sachet of 1.2 billion CFU of the three strains once a day for 12 weeks. A small 4-week open study gave up to four capsules a day. Follow the product label.

Is AB-LIFE the same as red yeast rice products that contain these strains?

No. Some products combine the three strains with red yeast rice, which supplies monacolin K. A trial of such a combination tested a different product, and its results cannot be credited to the probiotic alone. Red yeast rice has its own cautions, so check which ingredients a product contains.

Is AB-LIFE safe, and does it have side effects?

In a 12-week trial of 136 adults, mild digestive discomfort occurred about as often as on placebo and no severe events were reported. Longer-term human data are lacking. As with any live probiotic, people who are seriously ill or have weakened immune systems should ask a doctor first.

What is AB-LIFE?

AB-LIFE® is a probiotic from AB-Biotics, now part of Kaneka, that combines three strains of Lactobacillus plantarum (now Lactiplantibacillus plantarum), CECT 7527, 7528 and 7529, in equal parts. It has been studied for blood cholesterol, a marker rather than a heart outcome.

Does AB-LIFE interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Cholesterol-lowering medicines: the trials enrolled people not taking lipid-lowering drugs, so use alongside a statin or other lipid medicine has not been tested in a controlled trial. Tell your prescriber, and do not use it in place of prescribed treatment. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for AB-LIFE?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for AB-LIFE as Limited (2 out of 5). It is backed by 5 study summaries and 10 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(10 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Fuentes MC, Lajo T, Carrión JM, Cuñé J. Cholesterol-lowering efficacy of Lactobacillus plantarum CECT 7527, 7528 and 7529 in hypercholesterolaemic adults. Br J Nutr. 2013;109(10):1866-72. doi: 10.1017/S000711451200373X.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 12-week trial in 60 adults aged 18 to 65 with raised cholesterol (30 per group): one capsule a day of 1.2 billion CFU of the CECT 7527, 7528 and 7529 mix lowered total cholesterol 13.6 percent from baseline versus 4.2 percent on placebo, with a significant between-group difference at week 12. LDL cholesterol (down 14.7 versus 5.8 percent) and oxidized LDL showed only a trend versus placebo, and HDL did not differ between groups. In a subgroup with higher starting total cholesterol, defined after the fact, total cholesterol, LDL and oxidized LDL fell 17.4, 17.6 and 15.6 percent from baseline and were lower than placebo; in the lower subgroup only total cholesterol differed from placebo. Two of the four authors, including the corresponding author, list AB-Biotics, the mix's maker, and the paper names the product AB-LIFE. Cholesterol is a blood marker, not a heart outcome.
  2. Fuentes MC, Lajo T, Carrión JM, Cuñé J. A randomized clinical trial evaluating a proprietary mixture of Lactobacillus plantarum strains for lowering cholesterol Mediterr J Nutr Metab. 2016;9(2):125-135. doi: 10.3233/MNM-160065.SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed; abstract read via its Semantic Scholar and OpenAlex records (publisher full text behind a bot check). A second report of the 2013 Br J Nutr trial rather than a new trial: same four authors and hospitals, 60 adults, visits at 6 and 12 weeks with a 4-week follow-up, and a mean baseline LDL cholesterol of 167.5 mg/dL that matches the 2013 group baselines. Its 12-week changes (LDL down 24.4 versus 9.8 mg/dL, total cholesterol 33.7 versus 10.6 mg/dL, HDL up 2.9 versus 0.4 mg/dL) equal the 2013 within-group changes, but this abstract calls all of them significant versus placebo (p < 0.001), while the 2013 full text found no significant between-group difference for LDL or HDL cholesterol. Two of the four authors list AB-Biotics as their affiliation.
  3. Kerlikowsky F, Müller M, Greupner T, Amend L, Strowig T, Hahn A. Distinct Microbial Taxa Are Associated with LDL-Cholesterol Reduction after 12 Weeks of Lactobacillus plantarum Intake in Mild Hypercholesterolemia: Results of a Randomized Controlled Study. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins. 2025;17(3):1086-1095. doi: 10.1007/s12602-023-10191-2. Epub 2023 Nov 28..PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 12-week trial at Leibniz University Hannover in 86 adults aged 30 to 75 with untreated LDL cholesterol of 160 to 220 mg/dL (43 per group). Capsules held 1.2 billion CFU of CECT 7527 (KABP011), CECT 7528 (KABP012) and CECT 7529 (KABP013) in a 1:1:1 ratio, one a day after a meal; placebo was maltodextrin. LDL cholesterol, the primary outcome, changed by minus 6.6 mg/dL on the probiotic versus plus 2.3 mg/dL on placebo (P = 0.006), and total cholesterol fell 10.4 mg/dL on the probiotic, a significant difference from placebo (P = 0.045). HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, arterial stiffness and overall gut microbiota composition did not differ. Registered DRKS00020384; funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG); the authors declare no competing interests.
  4. Kerlikowsky F, Greupner T, Müller M, Espadala Mazo J, Müller HJ, Hahn A. Probiotic formulation influences blood cholesterol levels: a randomized, controlled trial during the covid19 pandemic Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2021;46:S664-S665 (conference abstract P229). doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2021.09.345.SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed; conference abstract read in Europe PMC (PMC8629581), reporting the Hannover trial of the CECT 7527, 7528 and 7529 formulation. It lists 91 adults randomized and completing the study, against 86 in the full paper. LDL cholesterol fell more than on placebo (p = 0.036); total cholesterol did not reach significance unadjusted (p = 0.086), and both became significant after adjusting for recruitment wave and baseline triglycerides. No adverse events or liver enzyme changes were detected. Disclosures: an AB-Biotics R&D author provided statistical support, and the probiotic formulation was provided by SymbioPharm GmbH, which the abstract states had no role in design, analysis or publication.
  5. Ma G, Li Y, He C, Li J, Xie J, Alballa MM, Xu K, Feng X, He J, Jia K, He Y, Li W, Chen F, Mi B, Yang J, Yu H, Liao X, Zhang B, Yang N, Dong Q, Wang Q, Ze X, Liu X. Effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum on moderate dyslipidemia before medication involving gut microbiota and host genetics. NPJ Sci Food. 2026;10(1):95. doi: 10.1038/s41538-026-00749-z.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized placebo-controlled 12-week trial in China in 136 adults with moderately raised blood lipids not on medication; the active group took one sachet a day of CECT 7527, 7528 and 7529 (1:1:1, 1.2 billion CFU, a Life-space product) and the placebo group maltodextrin. The primary outcome, change in LDL cholesterol, did not differ significantly from placebo in the intention-to-treat analysis. In the per-protocol set (101 of 120 completers, adherence of 85 percent or more and no antibiotic use), LDL cholesterol fell 0.118 mmol/L and total cholesterol 0.163 mmol/L more than on placebo (both p < 0.05). Mild adverse events, mainly gastrointestinal discomfort, did not differ between groups; no severe events; liver and kidney markers unchanged. Registered ChiCTR2200058631. Double-blind. Part funded by the BYHEALTH Nutrition and Health Research Foundation, two authors are from the BYHEALTH Institute of Nutrition and Health, and both study products were prepared by By-Health Co., Ltd.; the authors declare no competing interests.
  6. Padro T, Santisteban V, Huedo P, Puntes M, Aguiló M, Espadaler-Mazo J, Badimon L. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains KABP011, KABP012, and KABP013 modulate bile acids and cholesterol metabolism in humans. Cardiovasc Res. 2024;120(7):708-722. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvae061.PubMedUsed to support: Single-center, single-arm (no placebo) pilot study in 20 healthy adults with overweight aged 25 to 60, taking strains KABP011 (CECT 7527), KABP012 (CECT 7528) and KABP013 (CECT 7529), which the authors identify as the commercial product AB-LIFE, at 1.2 billion CFU per capsule in weekly escalating doses of one to four capsules a day for 4 weeks. Conjugated bile acids and fibroblast growth factor 19 fell; non-HDL cholesterol fell most after the first week on one capsule a day (minus 6.2 mg/dL, P = 0.033); ApoB100, ApoB48 and small LDL particles fell and LDL was less prone to oxidation. Registered NCT05378230. Funded in part by AB-Biotics (Kaneka group); three authors are AB-Biotics employees.
  7. Guerrero-Bonmatty R, Gil-Fernández G, Rodríguez-Velasco FJ, Espadaler-Mazo J. A Combination of Lactoplantibacillus plantarum Strains CECT7527, CECT7528, and CECT7529 Plus Monacolin K Reduces Blood Cholesterol: Results from a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Nutrients. 2021;13(4):1206. doi: 10.3390/nu13041206.PubMedUsed to support: Other product: the three strains (1 billion CFU) combined with red yeast rice extract containing 10 mg of monacolin K, which the authors call a structural analogue of lovastatin. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 12-week trial in 39 adults with total cholesterol of 200 mg/dL or more, statin-naive or having stopped a statin for intolerance. Unadjusted LDL and total cholesterol changes did not differ from placebo; after adjusting for a baseline imbalance in recent cholesterol treatment (81 versus 22 percent), LDL cholesterol (p = 0.023) and total cholesterol (p = 0.011) fell more than on placebo. No adverse effects were noted. Retrospectively registered NCT04677335; funded by AB-Biotics, and one author is an AB-Biotics employee.
  8. Bosch M, Fuentes MC, Audivert S, Bonachera MA, Peiró S, Cuñé J. Lactobacillus plantarum CECT 7527, 7528 and 7529: probiotic candidates to reduce cholesterol levels. J Sci Food Agric. 2014;94(4):803-9. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.6467.PubMedUsed to support: Laboratory study from AB-Biotics: the three strains survived simulated gastrointestinal conditions, adhered to intestinal cells, showed bile salt hydrolase activity (highest when combined), took up and bound cholesterol from the culture medium, and produced propionic and butyric acids, especially CECT 7529. Not a study in people.
  9. Mukerji P, Roper JM, Stahl B, Smith AB, Burns F, Rae JC, Yeung N, Lyra A, Svärd L, Saarinen MT, Alhoniemi E, Ibarra A, Ouwehand AC. Safety evaluation of AB-LIFE(®) (Lactobacillus plantarum CECT 7527, 7528 and 7529): Antibiotic resistance and 90-day repeated-dose study in rats. Food Chem Toxicol. 2016;92:117-28. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2016.03.018.PubMedUsed to support: Safety study by DuPont scientists describing AB-LIFE as equal parts of the three strains blended with inert excipients. Genome mining found no transferable antibiotic resistance genes. In a 90-day rat study at 300 and 1000 mg/kg body weight a day, no adverse effects were identified, and the no-observed-adverse-effect level was the highest dose tested. Animal and laboratory work, not a human safety trial.
  10. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Probiotics: What You Need To Know NCCIH (NIH). 2019;Web page, last updated August 2019; accessed 2026..SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed. NIH fact sheet: few studies have looked at the safety of probiotics in detail; the risk of harmful effects is greater in people with severe illnesses or compromised immune systems; severe or fatal infections have been reported in premature infants given probiotics; possible harms include infections and transfer of antibiotic resistance genes; some products have contained microorganisms not listed on the label.