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Cholesterol is essential for normal human health, but elevations in its serum levels have led to the development of various complications, including hypercholesterolemia (HC). Cholesterol accumulation in blood circulation formsplaques on artery walls and worsens the individuals' health. To overcome this complication, different pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches are employed to reduce elevated blood cholesterol levels. Atorvastatin and rosuvastatin are the most commonly used drugs, but their prolonged use leads to several acute side effects. In recent decades, the potential benefit of ingesting yogurt on lipid profile has attracted the interest of researchers and medical professionals worldwide. This review aims to give an overview of the current knowledge about HC and the different therapeutic approaches. It also discusses the health benefits of yogurt consumption and highlights the overlooked phyto-enrichment option to enhance the yogurt's quality. Finally, clinical studies using different phyto-enriched yogurts for HC management are also reviewed. Yogurt has a rich nutritional value, but its processing degrades the content of minerals, vitamins, and other vital constituents with beneficial health effects. The option of enriching yogurt with phytoconstituents has drawn a lot of attention. Different pre-clinical and clinical studies have provided new insights on their benefits on gut microbiota and human health. Thus, the yogurtphyto-enrichment with stanol and β-glucan have opened new paths in functional food industries and found healthy andeffective alternatives for HC all along with conventional treatment approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Review delves into gut microbiome's role in Alzheimer's modulation. • Dysbiosis linked to neuroinflammation, amyloid beta aggregation, and oxidative stress. • Complex mechanisms involve microbial metabolites, immune signaling, permeability, and vagus nerve. • Probiotic exopolysaccharides protect neurons, inhibit amyloid beta, and improve memory in Alzheimer's models. The effects of the gut microbiome on the brain and the mechanisms of gut-brain communication have been popular research topics for the past few decades. The term gut-brain axis (GBA) evolved to illustrate how the gut and gut microbiota communicate with the brain. The gut-brain axis is an interplay of the neural, endocrine, immune, and metabolic pathways that help to maintain the brain's homeostasis. Several groups have reported that gut dysbiosis is significantly associated with neuroinflammation, aggregation of amyloid beta, and an increase in oxidative stress during Alzheimer's disease (AD). Understanding the exact mechanism of how the gut microbiome influences brain function may help develop new therapeutic modalities for AD. This review highlights the functioning of the gut microbiome in AD pathogenesis, the potential beneficial effects of probiotic exopolysaccharides as therapeutic molecules, and the potential benefits of probiotic exopolysaccharides (EPS) as a ray of hope in treating AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prebiotics are either natural or synthetic non-digestible (non-)carbohydrate substances that boost the proliferation of gut microbes. Undigested fructooligosaccharides in the large intestine are utilised by the beneficial microorganisms for the synthesis of short-chain fatty acids for their own growth. Although various food products are now recognized as having prebiotic properties, several others, such as almonds, artichoke, barley, chia seeds, chicory, dandelion greens, flaxseeds, garlic, and oats, are being explored and used as functional foods. Considering the benefits of these prebiotics in mineral absorption, metabolite production, gut microbiota modulation, and in various diseases such as diabetes, allergy, metabolic disorders, and necrotising enterocolitis, increasing attention has been focused on their applications in both food and pharmaceutical industries, although some of these food products are actually used as food supplements. This review aims to highlight the potential and need of these prebiotics in the diet and also discusses data related to the distinct types, sources, modes of action, and health benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]