Weight gain in anorexia nervosa does not ameliorate the faecal microbiota, branched chain fatty acid profiles, and gastrointestinal complaintsOriginal 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?
Researchers compared faecal microbiota, short-chain fatty acids and gastrointestinal complaints in anorexia nervosa (AN) patients before (n = 55) and after (n = 44) inpatient weight gain, against 55 normal-weight participants.
What did they find before weight gain?
AN patients showed higher levels of mucin-degrading bacteria and members of Clostridium clusters I, XI and XVIII, alongside reduced levels of the butyrate-producing genus Roseburia. Branched-chain fatty acids, markers of protein fermentation, were elevated versus normal-weight participants.
Did weight gain fix it?
Microbial richness and Shannon diversity increased after weight gain, but the perturbed microbiota composition, elevated branched-chain fatty acid levels, and several gastrointestinal symptoms did not normalize. Distinct microbial patterns also distinguished restrictive from binge/purging AN subtypes.
Why it matters
Standard weight-restoration therapy leaves gut microbial and metabolic disturbances largely unresolved, suggesting microbiota-targeted approaches, such as supporting butyrate producers like Roseburia, may be needed to improve outcomes.