Which gut bacteria matter most? Find out how diet and health are closely connected
A new study of over 34,500 people shows which gut bacteria are linked to health and diet, helping guide future research.
The gut microbiome is the community of bacteria living in our intestines. Scientists have found it affects overall health and can play a role in diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The good part is that it can be changed by diet and lifestyle.
A study of more than 34,500 people
A new study published in Nature looked at gut bacteria, diet, and health markers in over 34,500 people in the US and the UK. The data came from the ZOE PREDICT program, run by the microbiome testing company Zoe.
Ranking bacteria by health
Researchers used machine learning to study 661 different bacteria in the participants’ guts. They looked for links between these bacteria and health markers like BMI, blood sugar, triglycerides, and HbA1c. From these, they identified the 50 most beneficial and 50 least beneficial bacteria for health.
This led to the ZOE Microbiome Health Ranking 2025 and Diet Ranking 2025, which give each microbe a score from 0 to 1. A score near 0 means the bacteria is linked to better health, while a score near 1 means it is linked to poorer health. People with a healthy weight had more beneficial bacteria than those with obesity, and people with disease had more harmful bacteria, according to Medical Xpress.
Also Read: Your body weight may decide how orange juice works on you, study reveals gene-level differences
Diet can change gut bacteria
The research also looked at diet. Two clinical studies, ZOE METHOD and BIOME, tested whether diet changes could improve the microbiome. Participants followed personalised diets or took prebiotic supplements. The results showed that helpful bacteria like Bifidobacterium animalis (found in dairy) and R. hominis (linked to vegan diets) increased, while harmful bacteria decreased.
New bacteria discovered
The study also found many new bacteria that had not been studied before but are linked to health. While the study cannot prove that these bacteria directly cause better health, it gives a useful guide for future research and diet-based experiments.
What this means
This research shows that gut bacteria are important for health and that diet can change which bacteria live in our intestines. It is an important step toward personalized nutrition and healthier lives.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
