A single fecal transplant provides years of health benefits - New Atlas

Summary

A single fecal microbiota transplant in obese teens delivered long-lasting metabolic benefits, shrinking waistlines, reducing body fat and inflammation, and lowering heart disease risk markers, which were still visible four years later.

Weve covered fecal transplantation studies before. While it m…

Source: New Atlas

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Q1: What are the long-term metabolic benefits observed in obese teens following a fecal microbiota transplant?

A1: A single fecal microbiota transplant in obese teens has demonstrated long-lasting metabolic benefits. These include reductions in waistlines and body fat, decreased inflammation, and lower heart disease risk markers, with effects visible even four years after the procedure.

Q2: How does a fecal microbiota transplant compare to traditional treatments for Clostridioides difficile infection?

A2: Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) is more effective than traditional treatments like vancomycin for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). For initial infections, FMT may enhance outcomes and is being considered as a first-line therapy due to its effectiveness.

Q3: What experimental uses of fecal microbiota transplants are being explored beyond treating gastrointestinal diseases?

A3: Beyond gastrointestinal diseases, FMT is being explored experimentally for neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. Researchers are investigating its potential to modulate the gut-brain axis, which could have implications for these conditions.

Q4: What are the potential risks associated with fecal microbiota transplants?

A4: The main risks associated with FMT include the transmission of infections and other pathogens from donor feces. This necessitates thorough screening of donors to minimize these risks and ensure safety.

Q5: What were the findings of the Gut Bugs Randomized Controlled Trial on fecal microbiota transplants in adolescents?

A5: The Gut Bugs trial found that while there was no significant effect on BMI at 6 weeks, FMT led to reductions in the android-to-gynoid fat ratio over 26 weeks. However, there were no observed effects on insulin sensitivity or liver function in the study participants.

Q6: What methodologies have been developed to assess microbiome engraftment following fecal microbiota transplants?

A6: The q2-fmt, a QIIME 2 plugin, provides methods for assessing microbiome engraftment post-FMT. It evaluates factors like community coalescence, indicator features of the donated microbiome, and temporal stability to assess engraftment success.

Q7: How does dysbiosis affect human health, and how might fecal microbiota transplants help address it?

A7: Dysbiosis, an imbalance in the gut microbiome, can disrupt beneficial microbial functions and lead to overgrowth of harmful bacteria. FMT can help restore balance by introducing healthy microbes, potentially reversing the effects of dysbiosis and improving gut health.

References:

Fecal microbiota transplant - Wikipedia
Effects of Fecal Microbiome Transfer in Adolescents With Obesity: The Gut Bugs Randomized Controlled Trial
Steady State Reduction of generalized Lotka-Volterra systems in the microbiome
Assessing microbiome engraftment extent following fecal microbiota transplant with q2-fmt