The name "kefir" comes from the Turkish keyif, meaning "feeling good"
Photo Credit: Aleksey Melkomukov
Scientific Frontline: Extended "At a Glance" Summary: The Antihypertensive and Antidiabetic Properties of Kefir
The Core Concept: Kefir is a fermented milk product scientifically proven to reduce high blood pressure and exhibit significant antidiabetic effects by improving glucose absorption and insulin sensitivity.
Key Distinction/Mechanism: Unlike standard dairy, kefir operates through specialized peptides that block blood-vessel-narrowing enzymes and unique bacterial strains that regulate intestinal microbes to process sugar efficiently without causing glucose spikes.
Origin/History: Derived from the Turkish word "keyif" (meaning "feeling good"), kefir's specific cardiovascular and metabolic benefits were recently analyzed by chemists at Ural Federal University and published in the journal Food Production, Processing and Nutrition.
Major Frameworks/Components:
- Bioactive Peptides: Short chains of amino acids that lower blood pressure, influence hormones that dilate blood vessels, and improve baroreflex sensitivity.
- Immunometabolic Bacterial Strains: Specific microbes, such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lb102 and Bifidobacterium Bf141, that reduce visceral fat, lower HbA1c (blood sugar index) levels, and boost metabolism.
- Antioxidant Activity: Cellular defense properties that protect against stress and support the drink's overall antidiabetic function.
- Fermentation Variables: The efficacy of the drink relies heavily on the specific milk substrate, yeast, and bacterial starter cultures utilized during fermentation.
Branch of Science: Food Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Nutritional Science.
Future Application: Kefir is positioned to be utilized as a widespread, natural dietary supplement or adjunct therapy in the management of type 2 diabetes and hypertension, pending further clinical studies to establish precise dosage guidelines.
Why It Matters: Regular consumption of this fermented drink offers an accessible, dietary approach to mitigating the risk of cardiovascular complications and managing chronic metabolic disorders, potentially reducing reliance on purely pharmacological interventions.
According to UrFU researchers, kefir reduces the risks of hypertension and has an antidiabetic effect. They studied the nutritional and microbiological value of the drink, as well as its effect on human and animal health. The chemists published an article on the beneficial properties of a fermented milk product in the journal Food Production, Processing and Nutrition.
Animal experiments have shown that one of the new beneficial properties of kefir is the ability of the fermented milk product to reduce high blood pressure (has an antihypertensive effect), preventing cardiovascular complications. This is mainly due to the formation of peptides, short chains of amino acids that lower blood pressure by blocking the action of an enzyme that narrows blood vessels.
"These peptides affect hormones that dilate blood vessels and also reduce the level of a hormone that normally raises blood pressure by trapping water and salt in the body. In addition, kefir improves the sensitivity of a key mechanism that regulates blood pressure and the functioning of the cardiovascular system (baroreflex). Another useful property of a fermented milk drink is the ability to influence the part of the nervous system that regulates the work of the heart: heart rate, pulse rate, conduction," Elena Kovaleva, head of the UrFU Laboratory of Biotransformation Technologies and Food Chemistry, lists the principles of the drink's "operation".
The second useful property of kefir, revealed in recent years also because of experiments on animals and humans, is its antidiabetic activity. Foreign scientists have discovered kefir strains with immunometabolic potential: Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lb102 and Bifidobacterium Bf141 (lactobacilli and bifidobacteria). They help the body process sugar normally (glucose does not jump after eating), improve insulin sensitivity and help reduce internal (visceral) fat, and regulate the work of microbes in the intestine.
"Experiments on rats have shown that kefir improved liver function by helping it respond to insulin. In those rats that were on a high-fat diet, kefir from goat's milk with the addition of beneficial bacteria significantly reduced the "sweet" protein (HbA1c is the sugar index for 2-3 months) and increased metabolism. In diabetics aged 35-65, kefir reduced fasting sugar levels and the same "sweet" protein HbA1c. Men with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes who drank kefir with the medicine had much better tests than those who drank only the medicine. Cautious conclusions that kefir is useful as a supplement during diabetes treatment can probably be drawn, but it is worth noting that additional clinical studies are needed," adds Elena Kovaleva.
In general, kefir improves glucose absorption in the intestine, insulin signaling, and has antioxidant activity (protects cells from stress), which together confirms its antidiabetic properties, explains the chemist. But it also reminds that the beneficial properties of a fermented milk product depend on the type of milk, the fermentation process, and the composition (bacteria and yeast).
"The positive effects of kefir vary depending on the animals on which the experiments were conducted, on the composition of the drink and other components. The optimal dosage and duration of consumption of the drink have not yet been determined. In addition, a wide variety of starter cultures are on the market today, which leads to significant discrepancies in the microbial composition of the drink, the profiles of biologically active compounds and the quality of the product, which also depend on the region and on the use of various fermentation substrates. Therefore, it is impossible to give clear recommendations, for example, to drink one cup of kefir in the morning on an empty stomach or in the evening instead of dinner. So far, the optimal recommendation seems to be just regular consumption of kefir a little at a time," sums up Elena Kovaleva.
Published in journal: Food Production, Processing and Nutrition
Authors: Athira M. K., Brij Pal Singh, Preetam Sarkar, Md. Zakir Hassan, Khizra Hassan Abidi, Elena G. Kovaleva, Shaikh Adil, and Subrota Hati
Source/Credit: Ural Federal University | Delfina Zakharova
Reference Number: nut043026_01
.jpg)