Saving Lives with Stool: The Fecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT)
- samiha hossain
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Introduction
We often think of stool as a smelly, smooth, and undigested substance from our stomach. However, stool has surprising benefits, including the presence of important microorganisms linked to metabolism and the regulation of our immune systems. [1] Stool represents the health of a person's gut microbiome, which, when countered by harmful substances, can cause an imbalance in key functions of the gut microbiome, such as digestion. A healthy stool sample containing good microbes can then combat this imbalance and decrease the likelihood of diseases.
Enter The Fecal Microbiota Transplant
Fecal microbiota transplant is a procedure that transfers a donor's stool into the gastrointestinal tract of a diseased patient. Fecal microbiota transplants have been used in different ways throughout history: yellow soup, used in fourth-century China, contained fecal matter used to treat diarrhea. [2] Now, scientists are using fecal microbiota transplants to cure C.difficile infections (known for being antibiotic resistant), which have proved effective after an 81% cure rate in 2013. [2] The fecal microbiota transplant is a new and ongoing process, so how is it done?
Different Methods
Before the microbiota goes into your body, it has to be combined with saline solution and filtered into a liquid form. [3] If it will be used later, then the liquid will be put into a donor bank and frozen until it is thawed for use. [3] There are several ways a fecal microbiota transplant is conducted:
Colonoscopy: A tube is inserted into your colon that is used to deliver fecal microbiota into your intestine. [3]
Enema: An injection that is inserted into your rectum through a tube, allowing fecal microbiota to spread in your colon. [3]
Pills: Fecal microbiota is compacted and freeze-dried into pills that break down in your colon. [3]
The Risks
Although FMT is advancing gut health, it is a fairly new procedure that has associated risks that need to be addressed. One important risk would be a harmful bacterium that, while passive in the donor, could become active and harmful to the recipient. [3] Another risk includes the blurry line between different diseases and microbiota. Since FMTs are still in development and have only proved successful for C. difficile, it is difficult to tell whether FMTs will increase the chances of contracting diseases from the microbiota in the future. [4]
The Future
Scientists have already started to work on the next generation of therapies for FMT by creating tailored microbial consortia. [5] FMT is also being tested for other diseases such as diabetes, IBS, and liver problems. [6]
Conclusion
FMT is very promising towards improved gut health as it can overpower bad microorganisms in the gut to cure various diseases. Next time, you look at your stool, you should remember how it can very well be important treatment to any disease.
References
[1] National Institute of Standards and Technology. (n.d.). The future of medicine could be in your poop. https://www.nist.gov/health/future-medicine-your-poop
[2] Khanna, S., & Allegretti, J. R. (2025). Fecal microbiota transplantation: A clinical update. Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine, 92(7), 421–428. https://doi.org/10.3949/ccjm.92a.ccc073
[3] Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Fecal transplant. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/25202-fecal-transplant
[4] Gordts, B. (2024, February 21). Fecal microbiota transplants: Past, present, and future. American Society for Microbiology (ASM). https://asm.org/articles/2024/february/fecal-microbiota-transplants-past-present-future
[5] Olesen, S. W., & Alm, E. J. (2022). Advancing fecal microbiota transplantation: Next-generation therapies and regulatory challenges. Frontiers in Medical Technology, 2, Article 961569. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmedt.2022.961569
[6] Ling, Y., Zhu, Y., Ren, W., He, Z., Li, M., & Zhu, B. (2024). Advances in clinical applications of fecal microbiota transplantation. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 14, 1114386. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11143861
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