New research that examined gut microbiome in patients with an active COVID-19 infection found that biodiversity in gut bacteria likely determine severity of symptoms. The study, conducted by a team at the ProgenaBiome research facility in Ventura, CA and published in BMJ Open Gastroenterology, examined the gut microbiome of 50 people with active COVID-19 infections with symptoms raging from severe to asymptomatic. The results of the data show a consistent correlation between an imbalance in three key bacteria found in the gut and the severity of COVID-19 symptoms. Researchers observed that a lower abundance of Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium and an increased abundance of Bacteroides to be associated with more severe COVID-19 symptoms regardless of other factors such as age, weight or pre-existing conditions.
“This research continues to reinforce the fact that gut health is key to your overall health and well-being. I’m excited the results of this research strongly indicate better outcomes for COVID-19 patients that have a healthy micro biome,” said Sabine Hazan, MD, lead investigator of the study and the founder and CEO of ProgenaBiome. “It’s my belief that strengthening the gut micro biome can be universally effective in protecting from illness and saving lives.”
The researchers concluded that improving gut health through supplementation and/or fecal microbiota transplant could be protective against future COVID-19 infection. “The impact of future exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses can be mitigated by maintaining proper gut health,” said Hazan.
“We are seeing again and again that those who have the proper balance of bacteria in their gut, manage viruses much better than those who do not. The most important of these bacteria is Bifidobacterium. It stands out in this and other research as being essential to immune system function and protecting your body from a variety of diseases. Unfortunately, Bifidobacterium declines as we age or gain weight, so it is important to eat fermented food and a diet with proper nutrients and to maintain a healthy weight as we get older.”
The study was sponsored by the Microbiome Research Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, dedicated to helping patients with diseases of the gut flora. The published study can be found here: https://bmjopengastro.bmj.com/content/9/1/e000871
About ProgenaBiome
ProgenaBiome is a genetic sequencing research laboratory dedicated to continuing the work of the late Dr. Sydney Finegold, a man who recognized the power of anaerobic bacteria and spent his life correlating microbes to diseases. The mission of ProgenaBiome is to crack the genetic code of a trillion bacteria, fungi and viruses that live in our gut. ProgenaBiome works to find cures to diseases that could be caused by an alteration of the gut flora, following the vision and pioneer work on fecal microbiota transplant of Dr. Thomas Borody but working more on a refloralization. For more information: https://progenabiome.com
About the Microbiome Research Foundation
The Microbiome Research Foundation, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, dedicated to helping patients with diseases of the gut flora. Led by a team of renown physicians, the foundation’s mission is to revolutionize healthcare by decoding the trillions of microbes in the human microbiome and finding healing solutions to many diseases caused by unbalance in the gut.
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Website: https://progenabiome.com