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Data analysed by Nottingham researchers found 15 gut microbes associated with lower risks (and 15 with higher risks) for common illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.

The study used metagenomics and blood chemical profiling to investigate diets rich in certain plant-based foods. They found they are linked with the presence of gut microbes that are associated with a lower risk of developing conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to recent results from researchers from the University of Trento, Italy, Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre and the University of Nottingham, the  US and health science start-up company ZOE.

The Nottingham research was led by Professor Ana Valdes, Nottingham BRC research area lead and Professor in Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology at the University of Nottingham.

The research study:

• was the largest and most detailed study of its kind uncovered strong links between a person’s diet, the microbes in their gut (microbiome) and their health.
• identified microbes that positively or negatively correlate (‘bad microbes’ and ‘good microbes’) with an individual’s risk of certain serious conditions, including diabetes and heart disease.
• found some of microbes that are so novel that they have not yet been named.
• made findings could be used to provide personalized dietary advice for better health, based on gut microbiome testing.

The PREDICT 1 study analyzed detailed data on the composition of participants’ gut microbiomes, their dietary habits, and cardiometabolic blood biomarkers. The researchers found evidence that an individual’s microbiome is linked to the specific foods they eat. Furthermore, certain microbes in the gut are linked to biomarkers of metabolic disease.

The full study, published by Nature Health, is available at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-01183-8