Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT), the exchange of gut bacteria from a healthy person to a sick person, is one of the most exciting new treatments to appear in decades. Because the gut houses 70 percent of our immune system and produces 90 percent of our neurotransmitters, the possibilities for FMT as treatment for gut conditions, immune system dysfunction and brain illnesses are incredible.

            The gut is filled with thousands of tiny microscopic creatures that exist in a precarious balance. When that balance is upset by antibiotic use, viruses, illness, ingestion of the wrong foods or toxins, life-threatening illness can result. While probiotics may help to restore the balance, frequently the job is too tough. The right varieties of bacteria in the right quantities is a recipe we just don’t have. The most effective way to get a high-functioning gut is to borrow a sample from a healthy person and transplant it.

       The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved FMT for cases of C.diff., a dangerous, drug-resistant infection. In other countries such as England, Germany, the Bahamas, Argentina, Italy and Israel, FMT is available for gut dysbiosis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, diarrhea, autoimmune disorders and some neurological conditions. Globally, there are promising results coming from numerous clinical trials for conditions including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, autism, depression and ulcerative colitis. It is even being used to boost the immune system of cancer patients receiving immunotherapy.

Diane York, MS, CRC, is the author of Fecal Transplant, New Treatment for Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s, Irritable Bowel Disease, Diarrhea, C.diff., Multiple Sclerosis, Autism, and More. How to Change Your Own Gut Bacteria to Heal Your Immune System, Brain and Digestive Tract, available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com. For more information, email [email protected].