Dietary modulation of the gut microbiome as a supportive strategy in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – a narrative review

TL;DR

This review explores how gut microbiome changes in ALS and how diet and probiotics might help as supportive treatments.

Contribution

The paper reviews the potential of dietary and microbiome-based interventions in ALS treatment.

Findings

Gut microbiota alterations are linked to ALS progression.

Diet, probiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation show potential as supportive therapies.

Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms and effectiveness of these interventions.

Abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease leading to permanent damage to the central and peripheral motor neurons. Currently, there is no effective treatment for ALS, and therapy focuses solely on slowing the progression of the disease. Recent studies show that gut microbiota plays an important role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Altered gut microbiota has also been found in ALS. These changes have prompted the search for alternative forms of ALS treatment, focusing on changing the microbial composition of the gut. It has been noted that diet, probiotics, prebiotics and vitamins can all influence the course of ALS. Another interesting issue is fecal microbiota transplantation, which is already used in the treatment of certain intestinal diseases and could potentially be useful in the treatment of ALS. This review summarizes current knowledge on the impact of gut microbiota on the neurodegenerative process in ALS, with particular emphasis on the role of diet and probiotics. It also discusses potential mechanisms and highlights future research directions in this emerging field.

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