A study following over 10,000 individuals for six years revealed that lower levels of butyrate-producing bacteria in the gut correlate with higher risks of serious infections. Published findings suggest that enhancing gut microbiome health could reduce infection rates and propose further research on dietary interventions to boost beneficial bacteria. Over a six-year study, researchers identified a link between reduced butyrate-producing bacteria in the gut and increased risk of severe infections.
The findings suggest the potential for dietary strategies to enhance these beneficial bacteria as a preventive measure. The composition of the intestinal microbiome can predict the chances of developing serious infections such as pneumonia. Researchers from Amsterdam UMC and the University of Turku, Finland, followed more than 10,000 people for 6 years.
More than 600 people who had less healthy gut flora developed a serious infection, leading in some cases to death. The results of the research are published today (June 20) in The Lancet Microbe . Butyrate’s Role in Human Immune Function The 602 people who were hospitalized due to an infection showed at the start of the study that they had fewer butyrate-producing bacteria in their microbiome.
Butyrate is a small fatty acid that is known to have a positive impact on the immune system of mice. It has also been seen before that people with serious infections have less of these bacteria. “But we didn’t know whether the less healthy.
