Probiotics and prebiotics are often marketed as simple ways to improve gut health, but many people find they work for some individuals and not for others.
Scientists have long struggled to explain why the results are so unpredictable.
Now, a new study suggests that computer models of gut metabolism may be able to forecast who is most likely to benefit from these supplements.
Researchers from the Institute for Systems Biology in the United States developed advanced models that simulate how bacteria in the gut process nutrients and interact with each other.
Their findings, published in PLOS Biology, show that these models can predict whether a probiotic strain will successfully establish itself in a person’s digestive system and how diet changes may affect gut health.
The human gut contains trillions of microbes that form a complex ecosystem unique to each person.
When someone takes a probiotic, the introduced bacteria must compete with existing microbes and adapt to the individual’s diet and environment. This complexity is one reason why a supplement that helps one person may have little effect on another.
To test their model, the researchers analyzed data from previous studies involving people with type 2 diabetes and healthy volunteers.
Participants received either placebo treatments or probiotic and prebiotic combinations designed to improve health conditions such as blood sugar control or recurrent infections.
The model predicted with about 75 to 80 percent accuracy which probiotic strains would successfully take hold in each person’s gut.
The researchers also found links between the success of certain bacteria and changes in blood glucose levels, suggesting that probiotics might influence health through specific metabolic pathways.
In a separate test involving nearly 1,800 healthy individuals who increased their fiber intake, the model accurately predicted how their gut chemistry and heart-related health markers would respond.
These findings suggest that probiotics and prebiotics could eventually be tailored to each individual rather than prescribed as a one-size-fits-all solution.
By understanding how a person’s existing gut microbes and diet interact, doctors may one day recommend specific supplements or foods that are more likely to work for that person.
Scientists believe this approach could lead to “precision microbiome therapy,” where treatments are customized to improve outcomes for conditions ranging from digestive disorders to metabolic diseases.
Although more research is needed before such tools become widely available, the study highlights the growing role of artificial intelligence and biological modeling in personalized medicine.
For now, the research offers a hopeful message: the mixed results many people experience with probiotics may not be random after all.
With better tools to understand the gut’s complex ecosystem, future treatments could be designed to match each person’s unique biology, making probiotic therapies more effective and reliable.
Source: Public Library of Science.
