A year end review of recent literature and findings on pubmed. Oral Fecal Matter Transplants have been practised by canines forever (as every dog owner knows), evidence suggests (once various safety and regulatory issues are resolved) that it may be far superior to probiotics.

The advent of these applications for MTs poses challenges for regulatory bodies. The transplanted material is not a “typical” drug, and thus may not be appropriate for the drug regulatory pathway. The material consists of a community of highly dynamic, metabolically active organisms (9). Many of the transferred organisms are challenging to culture in vitro, and it is difficult to test their effectiveness in animals (9). Each batch of “product” is different, making characterization of the transplanted material problematic.

Improving regulation of microbiota transplants.

In this first article, the shift in the type of bile acid in significant.

A consistent metabolic signature was identified in the post-transplant microbiota, with reduced primary bile acids and substantial restoration of secondary bile acid production capacity. Total Fatty Acid (FA) levels were unchanged but the ratio of inflammatory to non-inflammatory FAs decreased.

Changes in microbiota composition, bile and fatty acid metabolism, in successful faecal microbiota transplantation for Clostridioides difficile infectio

Implication to how donor diets should be modified.

we show that obese mice receiving FMTs from healthy resveratrol-fed mice have improved glucose homeostasis within 11 days of the first transplant, and that resveratrol-FMTs is more efficacious than oral supplementation of resveratrol for the same duration. 

Fecal transplant from resveratrol-fed donors improves glycaemia and cardiovascular features of the metabolic syndrome in mic

• Fecal microbiota transplantation against intestinal colonization by extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae: a proof of principle study.
• Faecal microbiota transplant: a novel biological approach to extensively drug-resistant organism-related non-relapse mortality.

Two cancer patients were successfully treated with fecal microbiota transplants (FMTs) for colitis caused by immunotherapy, according to a case report published today (November 12) in Nature Medicine. Both patients accepted donors’ gut microbiomes following the procedure and their symptoms cleared up within weeks.

A case study of two patients with advanced cancer shows it might be possible to avoid a common and severe side effect of immunotherapy treatment.

Previous work has suggested that people whose transplanted organs get rejected tend to have certain bacteria in their gut. But though bacteria causing the rejection is one explanation, so is the reverse – that rejection encourages growth of the bacteria.

Faecal swaps could help stop heart transplants from being rejected

A single treatment using an optimized, targeted form of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) produces sustained clinical and cognitive improvements, according to the results of a long-term follow-up of patients with liver cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy (HE) who had participated in a short-term study. 

Fecal microbiota transplantation produces sustained improvements in cognitive and clinical outcomes

IBS

Fecal microbiota transplantation improved symptoms in patients with refractory irritable bowel syndrome with severe abdominal bloating, according to research presented here.

Fecal transplant improves refractory IBS with abdominal bloating

Fecal microbiota transplantation altered the gut microbiota of patients with irritable bowel syndrome, but it was not superior to placebo for improving symptoms in a study presented at Digestive Disease Week.

Fecal transplant alters gut microbiome in IBS patients

In the study of 18 children with autism and moderate to severe gastrointestinal problems, parents and doctors said they saw positive changes that lasted at least eight weeks after the treatment. Children without autism were included for comparison of bacterial and viral gut composition prior to the study.

Autism symptoms improve after fecal transplant, small study finds

On DYI FMT

• When an FDA Ruling Curbed Fecal Transplants, I Performed My Own.
• DIY faecal transplants carry risks including HIV and hepatitis, warn experts
• The Rise of the Do-It-Yourself Fecal Transplant
• Fecal Transplant Pills Could Become a New Cutting-Edge Treatment for Infections
• In the US, a nonprofit stool bank is operating. OpenBiome

Full Disclosure: I have talked to people who have done DYI oral FTMT (DYIOFMT ???) with positive results. These individuals were very intelligent, aware of risks and issues, and do near-professional due-diligence.