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Study Finds Bidirectional Genetic Links Between Gut Bacteria and Insomnia

Clostridium innocuum emerged as the most statistically robust predictor of insomnia in a large Mendelian randomisation analysis, highlighting the need for clinical trials of microbiome-based therapies.

Man sitting on the edge of his bed with his hand's in his hands in the middle of the night.
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Feedback loop: Gut-fueled insomnia leads to more growth of the bacteria causing it

Overview

  • Researchers applied Mendelian randomisation to genetic data from about 387,000 individuals and microbiome profiles from 26,500 participants to probe causal relationships.
  • The analysis identified 14 bacterial taxa associated with increased insomnia risk and eight linked to lower risk after confirming no pleiotropy.
  • Odoribacter showed reciprocal effects, indicating that sleep disturbances can alter gut communities while specific microbes influence insomnia risk.
  • All study participants were of European ancestry and factors such as diet, lifestyle and geography were not accounted for, limiting the study’s generalisability.
  • Study authors and external experts emphasise that randomized controlled trials are essential before probiotics, prebiotics or fecal microbiota transplantation can be clinically recommended.