Short-chain fatty acids and secondary bile acids can decrease cholesterol levels by regulating cholesterol metabolism.

Microbial bile salt hydrolases can increase cholesterol disposal rates by accelerating its conversion to bile acids.

Uncultured bacteria from the human gut can transform cholesterol to coprostanol.

Probiotics from the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are efficient reducers of cholesterol levels in clinical studies.

Several candidate next-generation probiotics, including Akkermansia muciniphila, Bacteroides spp., Clostridium spp., Christensenella minuta, Eubacterium spp., and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, have been shown to decrease cholesterol levels in human or animal studies.