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Maintaining the balance of gut microbiota is important as an imbalance, also known as dysbiosis, can cause or aggravate different diseases, including but not limited to digestive problems such as inflammatory bowel syndrome, mental health issues like anxiety and depression and menstrual problems.
With lifestyle diseases on the rise across the globe, nourishing the gut can go a long way in preventing chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypertension, a first of its kind clinical trial in India has revealed.
The research was conducted by microbiome-based company Leucine Rich Bio situated in Bengaluru using its flagship technology BugSpeaks, a gut microbiome profiling test that provides nutritional recommendations based on an individual's gut microbiota profile.
The human microbiome or basically trillions of microorganisms in the body plays a crucial role in maintaining health, digestion and immunity and regulating the central nervous system.
India is widely considered as the diabetes capital of the world, housing more than 101 million people with diabetes.
It is, in the recent years, witnessing a strong growth in the sale of anti-diabetic medicine.
The trial included 30 adults in the age group of 42-65, both male and female, with hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and hyperlipidaemia (high cholesterol).
The patients were divided into two groups -- one received the BugSpeaks-based personalised diet, while the other a regular diet for three months.
Those who were given personalised diet showed improvement across various parameters when examined on Day 90 of the study, claimed Debojyoti Dhar, co-founder and director, business development and innovation, Leucine Rich Bio, and the lead author of the study.
Their average HbA1c levels (average blood glucose levels for the last two to three months) were brought down from 8.30 to 6.67; systolic blood pressure was reduced by 14 per cent and C-reactive protein (an inflammation marker) was decreased by 20 per cent.
The study is undergoing peer review in an international scientific journal.
"In this study, we have highlighted the positive effect of gut microbiota based personalised nutrition on hyperglycaemia, hypertension, and inflammation markers," said Dhar.
"This proof of concept clinical trial shows that BugSpeaks-based nutritional modulation of the gut microbiota can impact health positively and can supplement medication for diseases like type-2 diabetes," Dhar explained.
"We plan to conduct more such trials in the coming months for other diseases for which we have anecdotal evidence. Gut microbiota modulation through nutrition can provide a new dimension in the precision or personalised healthcare paradigm and this study is a step towards that direction," he added.
The study also found that the number of beneficial microorganisms (Phascolarctobacterium succinatutens, Bifidobacterium angulatum and Levilactobacillus brevis) increased two-fold and a similar decrease was observed in non-beneficial species (Alistipes finegoldii and Sutterella faecalis).
Maintaining the balance of gut microbiota is important as an imbalance, also known as dysbiosis, can cause or aggravate different diseases, including but not limited to digestive problems such as inflammatory bowel syndrome, mental health issues like anxiety and depression and menstrual problems.
The profiling test costs around Rs 10,000. Dhar says that the price of the test has come down from the initial cost of Rs 35,000 and the company is further planning to bring the prices down to Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 per test in the next one to two years.
From 150 to 200 tests per month last year, Leucine is now doing 500 to 700 tests per month. From a turnover of Rs 1.2 crore (Rs 12 million) in FY23, Leucine ended FY24 with Rs 2.5 crore (Rs 25 million) turnover.
South Asia's first microbiome company, Leucine Rich Bio started in August 2014 with an aim to provide data-based solutions in oncology.
They pivoted to work on the microbiome domain and launched South Asia s first gut microbiome test in 2018.
Know your gut health
The test BugSpeaks profiles microbes using stool as a sample and gives a snapshot of one's gut health, applying a score called the Rych Index; it reveals if there are chances of contracting 15 diseases, including type 2 diabetes or obesity.
It also suggests probiotics and prebiotics based on one's gut bacteria and gives personalised food recommendations based on specific gut bacteria.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
