Associations between sleep and the gut microbiome in adults with colorectal cancer and their caregiversOriginal paper
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease, four years before the first published case study.
Read MoreWhat was studied?
This cross-sectional exploratory study examined associations between subjective sleep indices and gut microbiome features in adults with colorectal cancer (CRC). Researchers compared patients to their sleep-partner caregivers using sleep diaries, stool sampling, and dietary intake questionnaires. The design allowed comparison of microbiome and sleep characteristics within matched household pairs who shared similar diet and environment.
Who was studied?
Forty participants were studied, consisting of 20 patient-caregiver dyads. Each dyad included an adult with colorectal cancer and their sleep-partner caregiver, and both members completed sleep diaries, stool sampling, and dietary questionnaires individually. Patients and caregivers had comparable demographics, dietary intake, and sleep indices at baseline.
What were the most important findings?
Patients with CRC had significantly different gut microbiome beta diversity (p = .005) and alpha diversity (Inverse Simpson, p = .029) compared with their caregivers, along with 7 more and 6 less differentially abundant taxa. Among patients only, those with high sleep efficiency (at least 85%) had higher gut microbial diversity than those with lower sleep efficiency (Inverse Simpson p = .019, Shannon Index p = .035). Some oral and gut microbes were also differentially abundant between patients with high versus low sleep efficiency scores.
What are the greatest implications of this study?
The findings highlight a link between sleep health and gut microbiome characteristics specifically in patients with colorectal cancer, distinct from their genetically unrelated but cohabiting caregivers. This suggests sleep quality may be associated with gut microbial diversity in cancer patients, though the abstract does not identify specific taxa driving this relationship. The authors note that further research with a larger sample is needed to replicate these findings and identify the pathways linking sleep to gut microbiome features.