Could faecal transplants cause long-term health problems?
Keeping a healthy mix of friendly microbes in the gut – known as eubiosis – is crucial for good health. When that delicate balance is thrown off – often by antibiotics, diet or illness – the result can be a range of issues, from digestive problems to more serious conditions like Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and even neurological and metabolic disorders.
One increasingly popular way to try to restore gut health is through faecal microbiota transplantation. This involves taking stool from a healthy person, isolating the beneficial microbes and putting them in a capsule (jokingly referred to as 'crapsules' or 'poo pills'). The hope is that the beneficial microbes in the pill will establish themselves in the patient's gut, thereby improving microbial diversity and function.
Faecal transplants have been used to treat a wide array of conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, Parkinson's disease, obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
Although generally viewed as safe and effective, a new international study published in the journal Cell has raised some concerns. The scientists found that when the donor's microbes do not properly match the recipient's gut environment – a situation they describe as a 'mismatch' – the treatment can disrupt the body's metabolic and immune systems, possibly with long-lasting consequences.
Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK's latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.
The term 'mismatch' comes from the world of organ transplants, where the recipient's body rejects the donor organ. In this case, the problem is that microbes from the donor's large intestine may not be suitable for other parts of the recipient's gut, especially the small intestine, where the microbial makeup is very different.
To test this, researchers gave antibiotics to mice to disturb their natural gut microbes, then treated them with faecal transplants. They also tried transplanting microbes specifically from different parts of the small intestine. The mice were monitored for one to three months to track changes.
They found that faecal transplants often led to regional mismatches – the wrong microbes ending up in the wrong place. This altered the mix and behaviour of the gut microbes in unexpected ways, disrupting energy balance and other functions.
Biopsies from the gut and liver showed significant, lasting changes in how certain genes – particularly those linked to metabolism and immunity – were being expressed.
The study did not specify exactly what kind of health issues might result from these genetic shifts. But the researchers are urging doctors to take greater care when using faecal transplants, particularly when it comes to dose, timing and possible side-effects.
There may, however, be a better way forward. A newer method known as the 'omni microbial approach' involves transferring microbes from all parts of the intestine, not just the colon. This could help recreate a more balanced and natural gut environment, avoiding the local mismatches seen in standard faecal transplants.
There is also growing interest in techniques that aim to 'terraform' the gut: deliberately reshaping specific regions with carefully selected microbes to restore normal function.
This new research has certainly sparked debate around the safety of faecal transplants. But with alternative approaches already being developed, there is real hope that the benefits of gut-based treatments can still be delivered, without the risks.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Georgios Efthimiou does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Wire
4 days ago
- Business Wire
MilliporeSigma Announces Neoclease as Winner of 2025 North American Advance Biotech Grant
BURLINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, today announced Neoclease as the winner of the 2025 North American Advance Biotech Grant. The Boston-based biotech startup develops AI-designed gene editing therapies for Parkinson's disease. 'We're committed to empowering biotech innovators who are advancing transformative modalities like gene editing,' said Sebastián Arana, Head of Process Solutions, Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. 'By combining Neoclease's AI-designed gene-editing platform with our technologies, regulatory expertise, and process support, we aim to help accelerate new treatments that minimize side effects and maximize effectiveness for patients.' Neoclease's platform combines generative AI and synthetic biology to develop next-generation, precision gene-editing therapies. Neoclease's lead candidate, NCX-L2, is designed to slow or halt the progression of Parkinson's disease – a condition that currently has no disease-modifying treatments. More broadly, Neoclease's approach has the potential to address more than 6,000 monogenic diseases by targeting the root causes of illness rather than only managing symptoms. As part of the grant, Neoclease will receive access to MilliporeSigma's products, technologies, and contract testing services, as well as expert consultation and training through the M Lab™ Collaboration Center and Emprove ® program. M Lab™ Collaboration Centers offer hands-on technical solutions and process optimization, while the Emprove ® Program simplifies risk management and regulatory compliance through quality products, detailed documentation, and dedicated support. These resources will support Neoclease in scaling its processes, optimizing manufacturing, and navigating regulatory requirements. The Advance Biotech Grant Program, launched in 2014, reflects the ongoing commitment of the life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany to supporting early-stage biotech companies developing innovative therapies for patients. To date, more than 40 companies worldwide have received grants and technical support across a wide range of therapeutic areas including cancer, neurological diseases, and cardiovascular disorders. The company will continue this global effort with upcoming grant awards in Asia-Pacific (October) and Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (November). About the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany The Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has more than 26,000 employees and more than 55 total manufacturing and testing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products focused on scientific discovery, biomanufacturing and testing services. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and electronics. Around 62,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people's lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2024, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, generated sales of € 21.2 billion in 65 countries. The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark 'Merck' internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare and EMD Electronics in electronics. Since its founding in 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company's technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. For more information about Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, visit to register again for your online subscription of this service as our newly introduced geo-targeting requires new links in the email. You may later change your selection or discontinue this service.
New York Times
5 days ago
- New York Times
Octopuses' 8 Arms Snoop on the Microbial World
When octopuses extend their eight arms into hidden nooks and crannies in search of a meal, they are not just feeling around in the dark for their food. They are tasting their prey, and with even more sensory sophistication than scientists had already imagined. Researchers reported on Tuesday in the journal Cell that octopus arms are fine-tuned to 'eavesdrop into the microbial world,' detecting microbiomes on the surfaces around them and deriving information from them, said Rebecka Sepela, a molecular biologist at Harvard and an author of the new study. Where octopus eyes cannot see, their arms can go to identify prey and make sense of their surroundings. Scientists knew that those eight arms (not tentacles) sense whether their eggs are healthy or need to be pruned. And the hundreds of suckers on each arm have over 10,000 chemotactile sensory receptors each, working with 500 million neurons to pick up that information and relay it throughout the nervous system. Yet, what exactly the octopus is tasting by probing and prodding — and how its arms can distinguish, say, a rock from an egg, a healthy egg in its clutch from a sick one or a crab that's safe to eat from a rotting, toxic one — has long baffled scientists. What about the surfaces are they perceiving? For Dr. Sepela, this question was heightened when her team discovered 26 receptors along the octopuses' arms that didn't have a known function. She supposed those receptors were tuned only to molecules found on surfaces, rather than those diffused in water. So she and her colleagues collected swaths of molecules coating healthy and unhealthy crabs and octopus eggs. They grew and cultured the microbes from those surfaces in the lab, then tested 300 microbial strains, one by one, on two of those 26 receptors. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Could faecal transplants cause long-term health problems?
Keeping a healthy mix of friendly microbes in the gut – known as eubiosis – is crucial for good health. When that delicate balance is thrown off – often by antibiotics, diet or illness – the result can be a range of issues, from digestive problems to more serious conditions like Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and even neurological and metabolic disorders. One increasingly popular way to try to restore gut health is through faecal microbiota transplantation. This involves taking stool from a healthy person, isolating the beneficial microbes and putting them in a capsule (jokingly referred to as 'crapsules' or 'poo pills'). The hope is that the beneficial microbes in the pill will establish themselves in the patient's gut, thereby improving microbial diversity and function. Faecal transplants have been used to treat a wide array of conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, Parkinson's disease, obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Although generally viewed as safe and effective, a new international study published in the journal Cell has raised some concerns. The scientists found that when the donor's microbes do not properly match the recipient's gut environment – a situation they describe as a 'mismatch' – the treatment can disrupt the body's metabolic and immune systems, possibly with long-lasting consequences. Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK's latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences. The term 'mismatch' comes from the world of organ transplants, where the recipient's body rejects the donor organ. In this case, the problem is that microbes from the donor's large intestine may not be suitable for other parts of the recipient's gut, especially the small intestine, where the microbial makeup is very different. To test this, researchers gave antibiotics to mice to disturb their natural gut microbes, then treated them with faecal transplants. They also tried transplanting microbes specifically from different parts of the small intestine. The mice were monitored for one to three months to track changes. They found that faecal transplants often led to regional mismatches – the wrong microbes ending up in the wrong place. This altered the mix and behaviour of the gut microbes in unexpected ways, disrupting energy balance and other functions. Biopsies from the gut and liver showed significant, lasting changes in how certain genes – particularly those linked to metabolism and immunity – were being expressed. The study did not specify exactly what kind of health issues might result from these genetic shifts. But the researchers are urging doctors to take greater care when using faecal transplants, particularly when it comes to dose, timing and possible side-effects. There may, however, be a better way forward. A newer method known as the 'omni microbial approach' involves transferring microbes from all parts of the intestine, not just the colon. This could help recreate a more balanced and natural gut environment, avoiding the local mismatches seen in standard faecal transplants. There is also growing interest in techniques that aim to 'terraform' the gut: deliberately reshaping specific regions with carefully selected microbes to restore normal function. This new research has certainly sparked debate around the safety of faecal transplants. But with alternative approaches already being developed, there is real hope that the benefits of gut-based treatments can still be delivered, without the risks. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Georgios Efthimiou does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
