VCAM1 and atherosclerosis: Given that our previous work only examined the impact of whole kefir, we set out to determine whether the microorganisms present in our pitched kefir (PK1), or their components are required for lipid lowering, and if this lipid lowering effect was accompanied by concomitant improvements in CVD and atherosclerosis biomarkers such as vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) and C-reactive protein (CRP).