Study, 2026
Does replacing gut bacteria help with menstrual problems, depression, and anxiety?
In this study, transplanting healthy gut bacteria improved quality of life, reduced depression and anxiety, and improved menstrual conditions. However, this is an early study and larger research is needed.
What they did
23 women of childbearing age received washed microbiota transplantation (transplanting healthy bacteria from a donor into the gut). Before and after treatment, researchers measured quality of life, depression, anxiety, and menstrual regularity using standard rating scales. They also used genetic testing to analyze how the bacteria in women's guts changed.
What they found
After treatment, women's quality of life improved in five areas: general health, social functioning, mental health, emotional role, and energy levels. Depression scores went down significantly. Anxiety scores went down significantly. The gut bacteria changed, with some beneficial bacteria increasing and some potentially harmful bacteria decreasing. Women's menstrual conditions improved.
What it means for you
Transplanting gut bacteria might help menstrual problems, depression, and anxiety. The study was very small, only in China, so results may not apply to all women. There was no control group, so we cannot be certain the bacteria caused the improvement.
23
women studied
5
quality of life areas improved
2 years
data collection period
About the study
- Original title
- The influence of washed microbiota transplantation on menstruation in female patients of childbearing age
- Authors
- Wu Q, Wang M, Yang J et al.
- Journal
- Frontiers in endocrinology
- Year
- 2026
- Study design
- Study
- Participants
- 23
- What was tested
- Washed microbiota transplantation
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2026.1715020
Original abstract
Background and aims: Menstrual disorders are closely related to the disorder of gut microbiota. This study aims to explore the impact of Washed microbiota transplantation (WMT) on the quality of life, depression and anxiety scale scores, and menstrual conditions of female patients of childbearing age. Methods: The data of female patients of childbearing age who received WMT at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University from February 2023 to February 2025 were collected. A comparative analysis was conducted on the effects of SF-36, SDS, SAS and menstrual conditions in female patients of childbearing age before and after WMT treatment. The changes of gut microbiota before and after WMT were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results: A total of 23 female patients of childbearing age were included in this study. WMT significantly improved the scores of GH, SF, MH, RE and VT in SF-36 of female patients of childbearing age and significantly reduced the scores of SDS and SAS (P Dialister , Bifidobacterium , Faecalibacterium , Roseburia and Fusobacterium increases. The relative abundances of Bacteroides , Agathobacter , Prevotella , Escherichia-Shigella and Ruminococcus decreased. Conclusions: WMT treatment can effectively improve the quality of life score of female patients of childbearing age and reduce the scores of depression and anxiety scales. WMT can increase the diversity and abundance of gut microbiota in female patients of childbearing age and improve menstrual conditions, which provides new ideas for future clinical treatment.
Reproduced under CC-BY.
Topics
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