Highlights
Microbiome-based therapeutics
From the article: "The gut microbiome plays an important part in a number of gastrointestinal conditions, including Clostridioides difficile infection and inflammatory bowel disease. Interest in modulating the gut microbiome, through prebiotics, probiotics, and natural or artificial microbiota therapeutics, has increased markedly in the past decade. Although the field has developed rapidly, it has faced reproducibility issues and encountered safety and regulatory hurdles. This two-part Series explores the development and promise of artificial microbiome therapeutics, and the current and future perspectives for microbiota therapies for treating inflammatory bowel disease. "
Adherence to the Mediterranean diet can beneficially affect the gut microbiota composition: a systematic review
From the abstract: "Dietary patterns could have a notable role in shaping gut microbiota composition. Evidence confirms the positive impact of the Mediterranean diet (MD), as one of the most studied healthy dietary patterns, on the gut microbiota profile. We conducted this systematic review to investigate the results of observational studies and clinical trials regarding the possible changes in the gut microbiota composition, metabolites, and clinical outcomes following adherence to MD in healthy cases or patients suffering from metabolic disorders. "
Fine-tuning the gut ecosystem: the current landscape and outlook of artificial microbiome therapeutics
S Porcari et al, Lancet GE Hepa, May 2024
From the abstract: " The gut microbiome is acknowledged as a key determinant of human health, and technological progress in the past two decades has enabled the deciphering of its composition and functions and its role in human disorders. Therefore, manipulation of the gut microbiome has emerged as a promising therapeutic option for communicable and non-communicable disorders. Full exploitation of current therapeutic microbiome modulators (including probiotics, prebiotics, and faecal microbiota transplantation) is hindered by several factors, including poor precision, regulatory and safety issues, and the impossibility of providing reproducible and targeted treatments."
The DTC microbiome testing industry needs more regulation.
Diane E Hoffmann et al. Science 2024 3 (6688) 1176-1179
From the article: "A growing body of research has suggested the potential for improving human health by better understanding the human microbiome. This research has led to the emergence of a global industry selling direct-to-consumer (DTC) microbiome testing services. Regulation of this industry has been generally ignored despite its having made a mark on the lifestyle health and wellness market. Yet companies’ claims of having the ability to detect “abnormal” microbiomes are not substantiated by research; the testing processes lack analytical validity, and the results have no demonstrated clinical validity. "
