'Poop pills' may ease insomnia by reprogramming the gut microbiome, early study hints
Reprogramming the gut microbiome with fecal microbiota transplants could reduce the amount of time people with insomnia spend awake.
A fecal microbiota transplant (FMT), also known as a "poop transplant," may help improve insomnia in adults, according to a small study. After receiving the transplant, participants' gut bacteria became more diverse and their sleep efficiency increased, meaning they spent more time asleep while in bed. The study, published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, involved 80 adult participants with chronic insomnia from seven hospitals in China.
Half of the participants received antibiotics for two days and then took FMT capsules containing gut bacteria from healthy, good sleepers, while the other half took placebo pills. The FMT group showed significant improvements in sleep efficiency, waking up less throughout the night, and continued reporting better sleep for up to six months after treatment.
However, experts caution that the study's findings are still considered promising proof-of-concept evidence, and further research is needed to confirm the safety and effectiveness of FMT for treating insomnia.
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