Home Ingredients Lactobacillus plantarum LPLDL® (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ECGC 13110402)

Lactobacillus plantarum LPLDL® (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ECGC 13110402)

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

LPLDL® (also written LP LDL® or LP-LDL®) is a single probiotic strain of Lactobacillus plantarum, now classified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, with the strain code ECGC 13110402. ProBiotix Health, a UK company, sells it as its proprietary strain and uses it in its CholBiome® formulas. It was chosen in lab screening for high bile salt hydrolase activity, an enzyme that acts on bile. In a 6 week placebo-controlled pilot trial of 16 adults with raised cholesterol, 4 billion CFU a day lowered LDL and total cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol and ApoB compared with placebo, while HDL cholesterol was also lower. In an earlier 12 week trial of 46 adults, total and LDL cholesterol did not differ from placebo in the whole group. Cholesterol is a blood marker, and no trial has measured heart outcomes. Both trials were funded by OptiBiotix Health and included one of its scientists as an author.

Studied Dose 4 billion CFU a day in the placebo-controlled trials: one capsule after lunch for 6 weeks, or 2 billion CFU twice daily for 12 weeks. ProBiotix Health also gives 4 billion CFU a day. A 9 week trial gave 2 billion CFU twice daily combined with 400 mg plant sterols per tablet.
Active Compound Live Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strain ECGC 13110402, sold as LPLDL® (LP LDL®, LP-LDL®). The papers give ECGC 13110402 only as a strain code, and no culture collection deposit or accession for it could be verified. The 2017 trial paper calls it a dairy isolate, while ProBiotix Health and a 2026 paper say it was isolated from tomatoes. Trial capsules held 50 mg of freeze-dried bacteria (4 billion CFU) or 2 billion CFU per capsule, with corn starch or maltodextrin as filler.

Benefits

LDL and total cholesterol, blood markers, over 6 weeks

In a double-blind pilot trial of 16 adults with total cholesterol of 6 mmol/L or more, one capsule of 4 billion CFU a day lowered LDL cholesterol from 4.55 to 4.00 mmol/L, while it rose from 4.10 to 4.60 on placebo, and total cholesterol followed the same pattern. Levels returned toward baseline 3 weeks after stopping. OptiBiotix Health funded it.

Supported by Trial 1, Trial 2

ApoB and non-HDL cholesterol over 6 weeks

In the same 16 adult trial, ApoB fell from 0.98 to 0.90 g/L on the probiotic and rose from 0.91 to 1.07 g/L on placebo, and non-HDL cholesterol also differed from placebo. HDL cholesterol was lower than on placebo at 6 weeks, and triglycerides did not differ. These are blood markers, not heart outcomes.

Supported by Trial 2, Trial 1

Blood lipids over 12 weeks in adults with normal to mildly raised cholesterol

In a double-blind trial of 46 adults taking 2 billion CFU twice daily, total and LDL cholesterol, among the main outcomes, did not differ from placebo in the whole group after 12 weeks, while HDL was slightly higher. LDL was lower than placebo only in a subgroup of 23 adults with total cholesterol under 5 mmol/L.

Supported by Trial 2, Trial 1

Systolic blood pressure in adults with normal blood pressure

In the 12 week trial, systolic pressure, a secondary outcome, did not differ from placebo from start to finish. Between weeks 6 and 12 it fell 1.8 mmHg on the probiotic and rose 6.1 mmHg on placebo, a significant difference in that interval only. Starting pressure averaged about 119 mmHg, and diastolic pressure did not differ.

Supported by Trial 2, Trial 3

Combined with plant sterols: a separate combination product

In a 9 week pilot trial in adults with celiac disease and raised cholesterol, tablets combined the strain with 800 mg a day of plant sterols. Only 24 of 50 enrolled were analyzed, results were mostly changes from baseline, and the authors call them exploratory. Effects cannot be credited to the probiotic alone.

Supported by Trial 3

Mechanism of action

1

Bile salt hydrolase activity

The strain was picked from 353 lactobacilli for high bile salt hydrolase activity and removed 77.9 percent of cholesterol from culture in a lab test. This enzyme deconjugates bile salts so more are lost in the stool, and the liver uses cholesterol to replace them. Bile acid results from the human trials have not been reported.

2

Survival of stomach and bile conditions in the lab

In the screening work the strain resisted simulated gastric and pancreatic juices and bile acids and survived freeze drying. Whether enough live bacteria reach the gut in people was not measured; in the 12 week trial, stool Lactobacillus levels did not differ from placebo.

Clinical trials

1
LPLDL 4 Billion CFU Daily for 6 Weeks: Pilot RCT in Raised Cholesterol
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel pilot trial at the University of Roehampton: one capsule of 4 billion CFU (50 mg) of ECGC 13110402 or a corn starch placebo after lunch for 6 weeks, then a 3 week washout; registered NCT03540108; planned as 12 weeks in 50 adults but cut to 6 weeks and 16 adults by COVID-19 restrictions; funded by OptiBiotix Health, which supplied both capsules and was consulted on the design; author Sofia Kolida is affiliated with OptiBiotix; not PubMed-indexed (Keleszade et al. 2022, J Funct Foods)

16 adults aged 35 to 70 with total cholesterol of 6 mmol/L or more and no lipid-lowering medication (8 per group).

Compared with placebo, total cholesterol (5.00 versus 6.61 mmol/L at week 6, p = 0.001), LDL cholesterol (4.00 versus 4.60, p = 0.001 in the results table, p = 0.03 in the abstract), non-HDL cholesterol (p = 0.001) and ApoB (p = 0.008) were lower at 6 weeks, and the differences were gone 3 weeks after stopping. HDL cholesterol was also lower than on placebo (p = 0.03); triglycerides, liver tests and vitamin D did not differ. The registry also lists gut microbiota and bile acid outcomes that the paper does not report.

2
ECGC 13110402 for 12 Weeks in Normal to Mildly Raised Cholesterol
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel trial at the University of Reading: 2 billion CFU twice daily or a maltodextrin placebo for 12 weeks, then a 4 week washout; primary outcomes blood lipids, inflammatory markers and digestive symptoms, with blood pressure secondary; registered NCT03263104; supported by OptiBiotix Health, which supplied the probiotic and paid the salary of author Sofia Kolida (Costabile et al. 2017, PLoS One)

49 adults aged 30 to 65 with total cholesterol of 5.16 to 7.64 mmol/L; 46 completed (23 per group).

In the whole group, total cholesterol (p = 0.51), LDL cholesterol (p = 0.15) and triglycerides did not differ from placebo at 12 weeks, and HDL was 0.06 mmol/L higher (p = 0.023). LDL was lower than placebo in the 23 adults with total cholesterol under 5 mmol/L (p = 0.03). Systolic pressure did not differ over 12 weeks (p = 0.15) but was 6.0 mmHg lower than placebo for weeks 6 to 12 (p = 0.003). Inflammatory markers, gut microbiota and digestive symptoms did not differ.

3
Combination Product: ECGC 13110402 Plus Plant Sterols for 9 Weeks
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot feasibility trial in Salerno, Italy: a bilayer tablet with 2 billion CFU of ECGC 13110402 and 400 mg plant sterols and stanols, or a placebo tablet, twice daily for 9 weeks, then a 3 week washout; the paper calls all analyses exploratory; registered NCT06178107, where the entry describes the probiotic alone once daily with total cholesterol and BMI as primary outcomes; no external funding, tablets from ProBiotix Health, and author Sofia Kolida (OptiBiotix) has been a consultant to ProBiotix (Costabile et al. 2026, Molecules)

50 adults with celiac disease on a gluten-free diet and total cholesterol above 6 mmol/L enrolled; 24 analyzed (12 per group).

Within the active group, total cholesterol fell from 236.1 to 198.6 mg/dL at week 9; the placebo group started lower, at 207.5 mg/dL. The change from baseline to the end of the 3 week washout (week 12) was larger on the combination (minus 31.58 versus minus 5.92 mg/dL), a between-group difference. The LDL fall within the active group was not significant at week 9 (p = 0.16), and HDL fell in both groups. Vitamin D changes did not differ between groups (p = 0.081). Results reflect the combination, not the probiotic alone.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

In a 12 week trial, abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence, stool frequency and stool form did not differ from placebo, and no participant reported severe side effects.
In a 6 week trial, no adverse effects were noted, and liver function tests and vitamin D did not differ from placebo. HDL cholesterol was lower than on placebo at 6 weeks.
Published trials lasted 12 weeks or less, and the three placebo-controlled trials enrolled 115 people in total, so longer-term safety data are lacking.
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 excluded people taking them, so use alongside a statin or other lipid medicine has not been tested. Tell your prescriber, and do not use it in place of prescribed treatment.
Antibiotics: the trials excluded people who had recently taken antibiotics, so whether antibiotics reduce any effect of the strain is unknown.
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 strain have been published.

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Frequently asked questions about Lactobacillus plantarum LPLDL® (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ECGC 13110402)

What is LPLDL?

LPLDL® (also written LP LDL®) is ProBiotix Health's trade name for a single probiotic strain, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ECGC 13110402. It was selected for bile salt hydrolase activity and is sold for healthy blood cholesterol, alone or in CholBiome® formulas. Results from this strain do not carry over to other L. plantarum products.

Does LPLDL lower cholesterol?

The evidence is small. In a 6 week trial of 16 adults with raised cholesterol, LDL and total cholesterol were lower than on placebo, but HDL was also lower. In a 12 week trial of 46 adults, total and LDL cholesterol did not differ from placebo in the whole group. Both were funded by OptiBiotix Health, and cholesterol is a blood marker, not a heart outcome.

Does LPLDL affect blood pressure?

This has not been shown. In the 12 week trial, systolic pressure did not differ from placebo over the full period, though it was lower for weeks 6 to 12 in adults whose pressure was normal. A study reporting lower pressure tested a four-ingredient tablet without a placebo group, so it cannot show an effect of the strain.

How much LPLDL was used in studies?

The placebo-controlled trials used 4 billion CFU a day, as one capsule after lunch or 2 billion CFU twice daily, for 6 to 12 weeks. Follow the product label, and keep taking any prescribed cholesterol medicine.

Is LPLDL safe, and does it have side effects?

In trials of up to 12 weeks, digestive symptoms did not differ from placebo and no serious side effects were reported, though the placebo-controlled trials enrolled only 115 people in total. As with any live probiotic, people who are seriously ill or have weakened immune systems should ask a doctor first.

What is Lactobacillus plantarum LPLDL?

LPLDL® (also written LP LDL® or LP-LDL®) is a single probiotic strain of Lactobacillus plantarum, now classified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, with the strain code ECGC 13110402. ProBiotix Health, a UK company, sells it as its proprietary strain and uses it in its CholBiome® formulas.

What is Lactobacillus plantarum LPLDL used for?

NutraSmarts does not list Lactobacillus plantarum LPLDL under a health category. What the research covers: In a double-blind pilot trial of 16 adults with total cholesterol of 6 mmol/L or more, one capsule of 4 billion CFU a day lowered LDL cholesterol from 4.55 to 4.00 mmol/L, while it rose from 4.10 to 4.

Does Lactobacillus plantarum LPLDL interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Cholesterol-lowering medicines: the trials excluded people taking them, so use alongside a statin or other lipid medicine has not been tested. 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 Lactobacillus plantarum LPLDL?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for Lactobacillus plantarum LPLDL as Limited (2 out of 5). It is backed by 3 study summaries and 9 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(9 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. Keleszade E, Kolida S, Costabile A. The cholesterol lowering efficacy of Lactobacillus plantarum ECGC 13110402 in hypercholesterolemic adults: a double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled, pilot human intervention study J Funct Foods. 2022;89:104939. doi: 10.1016/j.jff.2022.104939.SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed; full text read from the University of Roehampton repository copy of the published version. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial (NCT03540108) in 16 adults aged 35 to 70 with total cholesterol of 6 mmol/L or more: one capsule of 4 billion CFU (50 mg) of ECGC 13110402 or corn starch placebo daily for 6 weeks, then a 3 week washout. Primary outcomes were blood lipids, focusing on LDL cholesterol, ApoB and non-HDL cholesterol. At 6 weeks total cholesterol (5.00 versus 6.61 mmol/L), LDL cholesterol (4.00 versus 4.60), non-HDL cholesterol and ApoB (0.90 versus 1.07 g/L) were lower than placebo (p = 0.001 to 0.008 in the results table; the abstract gives p = 0.03 for LDL), with no differences after washout. HDL cholesterol was lower than placebo (p = 0.03); triglycerides, liver tests, vitamin D, digestive symptoms and mood did not differ. Blood pressure was measured to monitor health; diastolic pressure was lower in the active group at baseline. Planned as 12 weeks in 50 adults, it was cut by COVID-19 restrictions. Funded by OptiBiotix Health, which supplied the capsules and was consulted on the design; Sofia Kolida is affiliated with OptiBiotix.
  2. Costabile A, Buttarazzi I, Kolida S, Quercia S, Baldini J, Swann JR, Brigidi P, Gibson GR. An in vivo assessment of the cholesterol-lowering efficacy of Lactobacillus plantarum ECGC 13110402 in normal to mildly hypercholesterolaemic adults. PLoS One. 2017;12(12):e0187964. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187964.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 12 week trial (NCT03263104) in 49 adults aged 30 to 65 with total cholesterol of 5.16 to 7.64 mmol/L, 46 completing: 2 billion CFU of ECGC 13110402 twice daily or maltodextrin placebo. Primary outcomes were blood lipids, inflammatory markers and digestive symptoms; blood pressure was secondary. In the whole group, total cholesterol (p = 0.51), LDL cholesterol (p = 0.15) and triglycerides did not differ from placebo at 12 weeks, while HDL was 0.06 mmol/L higher (p = 0.023). LDL was 0.39 mmol/L lower than placebo in adults with total cholesterol under 5 mmol/L (p = 0.03); for a total cholesterol result in a subgroup of 3 per arm, the authors state no group relevance should be attributed. Systolic pressure did not differ over 12 weeks (p = 0.15) but was 6.0 mmHg lower than placebo for weeks 6 to 12 (p = 0.003), in adults with normal pressure. Inflammatory markers, gut microbiota, metabolic profiles and digestive symptoms did not differ. Supported by OptiBiotix Health, which supplied the probiotic and paid Sofia Kolida's salary.
  3. Costabile A, Fagbemi LO, Soldaini C, Siniscalchi M, Ruotolo M, Barone M, Fabbrini M, Brigidi P, Turroni S, Kolida S, Jeanes Y, Ciacci C. Combined Probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ECGC 13110402 and Plant Sterol Supplement May Improve Lipids and Gut Microbiota in Coeliac Adults: A Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Human Intervention Study. Molecules. 2026;31(10):1722. doi: 10.3390/molecules31101722.PubMedUsed to support: Other product: the strain combined with plant sterols and stanols. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 9 week pilot feasibility trial (NCT06178107) in adults with celiac disease and total cholesterol above 6 mmol/L; tablets held 2 billion CFU and 400 mg plant sterols and stanols, taken twice daily. Of 50 enrolled, 24 were analyzed (12 per group), and the authors state all analyses were exploratory. Total cholesterol fell within the active group at every visit, and the change from baseline to the end of the 3 week washout (week 12; minus 31.58 versus minus 5.92 mg/dL) differed between groups, with the active group starting higher (236.1 versus 207.5 mg/dL); the LDL fall within the active group was significant at week 5 (p = 0.05) but not week 9 (p = 0.16); non-HDL cholesterol and ApoB fell within the active group; HDL fell in both groups; the vitamin D time by group interaction was not significant (p = 0.081). No external funding; tablets supplied by ProBiotix Health; Sofia Kolida (OptiBiotix Health) has been a consultant and expert witness for ProBiotix Health.
  4. Derosa G, Gaudio G, D'Angelo A, Maffioli P. Evaluation in Patients with High NORMAL Blood Pressure of a Supplement Containing Arginine, Lactobacillus Plantarum Lp-LDL, Coenzime Q10 and Vitamin B1: A PILOT Study J Food Nutr Res. 2020;8(6):273-278. doi: 10.12691/jfnr-8-6-5.SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed; full text read from the publisher. Other product: Tensred plus, with 200 mg L-arginine, 50 mg coenzyme Q10, 4 billion CFU of L. plantarum Lp-LDL and 1.1 mg vitamin B1 per daily tablet. Single-arm pilot study with no placebo in 40 adults with high normal blood pressure for 3 months; compared with baseline, systolic pressure fell 4.1 mmHg (p = 0.041), diastolic 3.0 mmHg (p = 0.044), total cholesterol 13.5 mg/dL and LDL cholesterol 11.4 mg/dL, while HDL, triglycerides and hs-CRP did not change significantly. The authors state that future studies need a placebo group, a double-blind design and arms testing the ingredients separately. No funding statement was found.
  5. ProBiotix Health Plc. LPLDL; About Us; Scientific Studies; Corporate ProBiotix Health website (not PubMed-indexed). 2026;Web pages accessed November 2026. https://probiotixhealth.com/lpldl/.SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed (company web pages). ProBiotix Health describes LP LDL® as its proprietary, patented flagship L. plantarum strain, originally isolated from tomatoes, selected for bile salt hydrolase activity and used in its CholBiome® formulas, with 4 billion CFU a day as the studied amount. It lists the 2017, 2022 and Tensred plus (CholBiome BP) studies as independent and quotes the largest subgroup and interval results. Its corporate page states that Stephen O'Hara founded OptiBiotix in 2012 and ProBiotix Health in 2018.
  6. University of Roehampton. The Cholesterol-lowering Efficacy of Probiotic Lactobacillus Plantarum ECGC 13110402 (LPLDL®) in Hypercholesterolemic Adults (NCT03540108) ClinicalTrials.gov (not PubMed-indexed). 2021;Registry record, first posted May 2018, last updated April 2021; accessed 2026..SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed (trial registry). Names the strain as Lactobacillus plantarum ECGC 13110402 (LPLDL®), linking the strain code to the trade name. Lists 4 billion CFU once daily versus maltodextrin, 16 enrolled, and four primary outcomes: total cholesterol, gut microbiota, vitamin D absorption, and bile acid metabolites with TMAO. The published report (Keleszade 2022) gives lipid and vitamin D results but not the microbiota or bile acid outcomes.
  7. Aalborg University. Effects of LP-LDL® on Lipid Metabolism, Glycemic Control, Inflammatory Markers, and Cognitive Function in Individuals With Prediabetes and Diabetes Mellitus (NCT07373392) ClinicalTrials.gov (not PubMed-indexed). 2026;Registry record, first submitted January 2026; status not yet recruiting; accessed November 2026..SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed (trial registry). Planned randomized, placebo-controlled 12 week trial of one capsule a day of at least 4 billion CFU of LP-LDL® (L. plantarum ECGC 13110402) in an estimated 210 adults, with ProBiotix Health Plc listed as a collaborator. Primary outcome: change in blood lipids; blood pressure is a secondary outcome. No results yet.
  8. Zuo J, Huang D, Liu J, Wang Z, Ren Y, Su Y, Ma Y. Effect of Probiotics Containing Lactobacillus plantarum on Blood Lipids: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Network Pharmacological Analysis. Foods. 2025;14(19):3300. doi: 10.3390/foods14193300.PubMedUsed to support: Context, pooling many strains and products: a meta-analysis of 26 randomized trials (2,104 participants) of L. plantarum-containing probiotics found small reductions in total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol (standardized mean differences of about minus 0.23 to minus 0.25) but not HDL cholesterol. The authors note heterogeneity and strain-specific effects, so it does not show what this strain does.
  9. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Probiotics: Usefulness and Safety 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.