Eating Disorders · Texas behavioral health news
Impact of a single fecal microbiome transplantation in adult women with anorexia nervosa: an open-label feasibility pilot trial - Nature
Eating Disorders (Google News) · January 14, 2026
In plain language
Researchers recently studied the safety and feasibility of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for adult women with anorexia nervosa. Participants received healthy donor gut bacteria through capsules or an enema to see if it could help restore their digestive health. Most participants chose oral capsules and completed the study without any serious side effects. While the treatment successfully changed gut bacteria to look more like the healthy donors within a week, it did not immediately change eating disorder symptoms or appetite.
AI-generated summary of the source article. Not medical advice.
Key takeaways
- Most women in the study preferred taking oral capsules over receiving an enema for the transplant.
- A single transplant was safe and caused no serious side effects for participants with anorexia nervosa.
- The procedure successfully shifted the patients' gut bacteria toward a healthier donor profile within one week.
- The transplant did not lead to immediate changes in psychological symptoms or appetite-related hormones.
- Future studies will test if repeated treatments can improve long-term recovery for those with eating disorders.
Impact of a single fecal microbiome transplantation in adult women with anorexia nervosa: an open-label feasibility pilot trial Nature
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