Scientists linked chronic fatigue to a deficiency in butyrate-producing bacteria.
Recent
breakthroughs published in Cell Host & Microbe and Nature Medicine
have uncovered a profound connection between the gut microbiome and
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Researchers
from Columbia University and the Jackson Laboratory found that patients
suffering from this debilitating condition often lack specific
health-promoting bacteria, most notably Faecalibacterium prausnitzii.
This deficiency leads to a critical shortage of butyrate, a short-chain
fatty acid essential for maintaining the gut barrier and regulating
energy metabolism. Without these vital microbial components, the body
enters what experts describe as a "gut-driven energy crisis," directly
impacting a patient's physical and mental stamina.
The
implications of these findings are transformative for the millions of
people living with chronic fatigue. The studies demonstrated that the
reduction of beneficial microbial species like Roseburia and Coprococcus
is directly correlated with the severity of a patient's symptoms. By
pinpointing these specific biological markers, scientists are now closer
than ever to developing precise diagnostic tools and therapeutic
interventions that target the microbiome. Rather than treating fatigue
as a vague symptom, medical professionals can now look toward
restorative gut treatments as a viable path to reclaiming energy and
health.
source: Cell Host &
Microbe and Nature Medicine (2025). Microbial Alterations and the
Gut-Driven Energy Crisis in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome.
Lyme disease infection, i.e. borreliosis, causes a decrease in butyrate... From Google: "Borrelia infection (Bb infection) is associated with a decrease in the relative abundance of beneficial gut bacteria that produce butyrate, such as Faecalibacterium, Subdologranulum, Marvinbryantia, and Coprococcus.". I was diagnosed with ME/CFS for 19 years before a specialist lab test revealed I had Lyme disease.
