You think your cholesterol levels might land you in angina alley? Blame it partly on your gut bugs, or maybe, thank 'em. Folks that boast lower cholesterol - the enviable stuff that shies away from clogging your arteries - might owe this delightful perk, in part, to higher echelons of certain bacteria lounging in their digestive tracts. This boggling revelation is brought to you by the lab coats from a new study conducted by the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard University.

You've probably heard about Zetia (ezetimibe), that popular drug that punches "bad" low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the gut, reducing its reckless absorption from your grub. Voila! lower cholesterol! Well, there's some chatter among scientists that bacteria could pull off the same trick. Talk about nature's own pharmacy.

To find out which of these gut denizens were possible cholesterol whisperers, scientists dug into the buzzing community that calls your intestines home - the gut microbiome. And what comes out the other end - stool samples - gave them a glimpse into what's partying in there. Stomach-churningly exciting, isn't it?

And the prom king in this gut fiesta seems to be Oscillibacter. Tummy-tenants boasting more of these bacteria had lower cholesterol, as stated in the study results published in Cell.[1] But we should pump the brakes a bit. The gut microbiome is like a Swiss knife in health matters, but its exact pull on cholesterol levels and heart health is still hazy. Plus, it's not clear if pushing Oscillibacter levels in our guts would actually drop cholesterol levels.

Now, let's talk about tweaking your microbiome to guru your cholesterol: these gut comrades are surprisingly receptive to a diet revamp. Amp your food intake with more fiber and nutrient-rich meals. Sure, more deep-diving into Oscillibacter is needed, but this does add an intriguing edge to cholesterol control. Especially for those poor souls struggling with stubborn cholesterol levels despite their diet, exercise, or current prescription meds - leaving them teetering on the risk-ledge of heart attacks and strokes.

A heart treatment by bacteria supercharging your gut could be a long shot, says the study's top dog, Dr. Ramnik Xavier. But perhaps, in high-risk peeps, we could slash that chance much earlier. Who knows, your next prescription could be a gut bug.