Gut microbes respond differently to diet based on gender

A new study has revealed that gut microbes of males and females react differently to diet, even when the diets are identical.

According to the study by scientists from The University of Texas, therapies designed to improve human health and treat diseases through nutrition might need to be tailored for each sex.

The researchers studied the gut microbes in two species of fish and in mice, and also conducted an in-depth analysis of data that other researchers collected on humans and found that in fish and humans diet affected the microbiota of males and females differently. In some cases, different species of microbes would dominate, while in others, the diversity of bacteria would be higher in one sex than the other.

Daniel Bolnick, professor in The University of Texas at Austin's College of Natural Sciences said that the results identify that there is a significant difference in the gut microbiota for males and females, the dietary data used in the analysis are organized in complex clusters of disparate factors and do not easily translate into specific diet tips, such as eating more vegetables or less meat.

The study was published in the journal Nature Communications.