Hajjar, Joud, Mendoza, Tito, Zhang, Liangliang et al. · Scientific reports · 2021 · DOI
Researchers studied 88 cancer patients to see if the bacteria living in their gut were connected to cancer-related fatigue. They found that certain beneficial bacteria (Eubacterium hallii) were linked to lower fatigue levels, while other bacteria (Cosenzaea) were linked to higher fatigue. This suggests that the mix of gut bacteria might play a role in how tired cancer patients feel, opening the door to new treatments.
While this study focuses on cancer-related fatigue rather than ME/CFS, the identification of specific microbiota associated with fatigue severity has direct relevance to ME/CFS research, as microbiome dysbiosis has also been documented in ME/CFS populations. Understanding which bacterial species modulate fatigue could inform targeted microbiome-based interventions for ME/CFS patients, who similarly lack effective fatigue treatments.
This study does not establish that altering gut bacteria will reduce fatigue—it only shows correlation, not causation. The cross-sectional design cannot determine whether dysbiosis causes fatigue or results from it. Additionally, findings in advanced cancer patients may not directly translate to ME/CFS, which has distinct pathophysiology.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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