Effects of Moderate Consumption of a Probiotic‐Fermented Sour Beer on the Inflammatory, Immunity, Lipid Profile, and Gut Microbiome of Healthy Men in a Participant‐Blinded, Randomized‐Controlled Within‐Subject Crossover Study

Probiotic sour beer (PRO) fermented with <i>Lacticaseibacillus paracasei</i> Lpc-37 is a novel beverage option, which may potentially offer health benefits. In this study, the effects of PRO are evaluated on the inflammatory, immunity, lipid profile, and gut microbiome of consumers in a 5-week, participant-blinded, randomized-controlled within-subject crossover study. Twenty-one healthy male participants consumed 330 mL of PRO and normal sour beer (CON) daily for 2 weeks each with a 1 week of washout. Stool and blood samples were collected before and after each intervention. Significant increases for <i>Proteobacteria</i> and <i>Bacteroides</i> and a significant decrease in <i>Dialister</i> (<i>p</i> < 0.05) were observed in the CON group, while gut microbiome populations remained relatively stable in the PRO group. A significant increase was also found in HDL-cholesterol after PRO (<i>p</i> < 0.05), while no significant differences were observed in inflammatory and immunity profiles. Further research is warranted to explore its HDL-cholesterol increasing potential.