The Study
Modulating the gut microbiota in Crohn’s disease: a pilot study on the impact of a plant-based diet with DNA-based monitoring
This study watched 14 people eat more plants for 12 weeks and noticed their gut bacteria and inflammation markers changed. But because there was no group that didn’t change their diet, we can’t be sure the plants caused the changes—maybe they just felt better because they slept more or drank more water.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
Scientists gave 14 people with Crohn’s disease a diet full of different plants for 12 weeks to see if it helped their gut bacteria and reduced inflammation.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 546 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1The drop in inflammation is promising and matches what doctors hope for, but since the study was small and had no comparison group, we can't say for sure the diet caused the change.
- 2People ate 1.4x more kinds of plants; their gut inflammation marker (calprotectin) dropped by 56%; good bacteria like Faecalibacterium went up; but overall gut bacteria diversity didn't change enough to be sure it was real (p=0.089).
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Frontiers in Nutrition
Year
2024
Authors
Stine Karstenskov Østergaard, Zeynep Cetin, Henrik Højgaard Rasmussen, H. Lærke, Mette Holst, Charlotte Lauridsen, J. L. Nielsen
Related Content
Claims (7)
People who eat 30 or more different types of plants each week have higher gut microbiota diversity than those who eat fewer.
In adults with Crohn’s disease, a 12-week plant-based diet was linked to a small increase in gut microbial diversity, but the change was not statistically confirmed.
Adults with Crohn’s disease who followed a plant-based diet for 12 weeks showed a 1.4-fold increase in the variety of plant foods consumed and a 56% decrease in fecal calprotectin, a marker of intestinal inflammation.
In adults with Crohn’s disease, analyzing DNA from fecal samples identifies 34% more types of plants consumed than asking people to record their food intake.
In adults with Crohn’s disease, following a plant-based diet for 12 weeks is associated with higher levels of Faecalibacterium and Bacteroides bacteria, which are typically lower in people with inflammatory bowel disease.
In adults with Crohn’s disease, a decrease in fecal calprotectin while following a plant-based diet is linked to measurable changes in certain gut bacteria, including a decrease in UCG.005 and increases in Ruminococcus faecis and an unnamed Lachnospiraceae species, though these links are weak and may not be reliable due to statistical limitations.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.