Can good gut bugs help fix diabetes?
Modulating the Gut Microbiome in Type 2 Diabetes: Nutritional and Therapeutic Strategies
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Your gut has tiny bugs that help control blood sugar. When they're out of balance, it can make diabetes worse. Eating certain fibers (prebiotics) or good bacteria (probiotics) might help a little, but we don't know for sure yet.
Surprising Findings
Early-life antibiotic exposure correlates with higher type 2 diabetes risk later — even decades after use.
Most people think antibiotics only affect short-term infections, but this suggests they may permanently alter gut ecology in ways that increase chronic disease risk.
Practical Takeaways
Add more fiber-rich foods (beans, oats, berries) and fermented foods (yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut) to your diet.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Your gut has tiny bugs that help control blood sugar. When they're out of balance, it can make diabetes worse. Eating certain fibers (prebiotics) or good bacteria (probiotics) might help a little, but we don't know for sure yet.
Surprising Findings
Early-life antibiotic exposure correlates with higher type 2 diabetes risk later — even decades after use.
Most people think antibiotics only affect short-term infections, but this suggests they may permanently alter gut ecology in ways that increase chronic disease risk.
Practical Takeaways
Add more fiber-rich foods (beans, oats, berries) and fermented foods (yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut) to your diet.
Publication
Journal
Nutrients
Year
2025
Authors
Christos G. Nikolaidis, Despoina Gyriki, E. Stavropoulou, E. Karlafti, T. Didangelos, Christina Tsigalou, Anastasia Thanopoulou
Related Content
Claims (5)
Eating certain types of fiber may help lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes by feeding good gut bacteria, but it doesn’t work the same for everyone, especially if they’re already taking metformin.
An imbalance in gut bacteria may cause the gut to leak toxins into the body, triggering inflammation and making it harder for the body to use insulin properly in people with type 2 diabetes.
Taking certain good bacteria supplements may slightly lower blood sugar and HbA1c in people with type 2 diabetes, but the effect isn't the same for everyone and depends on the type and amount of bacteria taken.
Some compounds made by gut bacteria (not the bacteria themselves) have shown promise in mice to help with blood sugar and inflammation, but we don’t yet know if they work in people with diabetes.
Plant compounds in foods like berries and tea may help lower blood sugar and inflammation in type 2 diabetes by changing the gut bacteria to produce helpful substances.