Microbiota treatment of functional constipation: Current status and future prospects

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Microbiome Research
• Therapeutic Innovations

Background:

• Functional constipation (FC) is a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder causing difficult and infrequent bowel movements.
• FC significantly impacts patient quality of life and necessitates long-term therapeutic solutions.
• Current treatment strategies for FC require further development for safety and efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential of microbiota-based treatments for functional constipation.
• To review various microbiota modulators and their current status in FC management.
• To highlight the emerging role of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in treating FC.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on microbiota modulators for functional constipation.
• Analysis of the efficacy and application of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, postbiotics, and FMT.
• Assessment of the current stage of research and clinical implementation for these therapies.

Main Results:

• Probiotics and prebiotics are established microbiota modulators for FC.
• Other modulators like synbiotics and postbiotics are under investigation.
• Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) shows curative potential but requires further research for clinical use.

Conclusions:

• Microbiota-based therapies offer a promising avenue for managing functional constipation.
• Further research is essential to establish the safety and efficacy of emerging microbiota treatments, particularly FMT.
• Optimizing microbiota modulation strategies could lead to improved long-term outcomes for FC patients.