Surprising Health Benefits of Fecal Transplants

Have you ever dreamt in your life, that the current medical treatment modalities would go up to the extent of placing someone else’s fecal matter in order to treat a bacterial infection? As a matter of fact, one of the weirdest transplants that have recently gained higher attention is the fecal microbiota transplantation. However, the strange fact that has been recently explored by global scientists is tremendous health benefits of a fecal transplant, especially effective in the problem of antimicrobial resistance that is being currently a global issue.

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation: The origin

The references of health benefits of fecal transplants have been noted in the ancient healthcare literature of China, wherein stool transplantation has been noted as one of the effective treatments for digestive tract issues, like food poisoning, stomach pain, diarrhea, etc. The same was being followed by the experts of the 4^th century.

Also, in the 16^th century, a famous herbal medicine expert Mr. Li Shizhen demonstrated the health benefits of fecal transplants by offering fresh, dried, a fermented stool to the patients suffering from abdominal diseases. The medicine was being referred to be as the “golden syrup” or “yellow soup”.

Similarly, during the world war II German Soldiers also evidently confirmed and strongly believed that fresh camel dung can be a good remedy for the patients, who are suffering from bacterial dysentery.

Thus, health benefits of fecal transplants and the utilization of stool have been found to be deeply rooted in the medical history and are being depicted to be effective by the medical practitioners in the era of the 4^th and 16^th century.

What exactly is Fecal Microbiota Transplantation and how does it work?

The medical science has so far demonstrated that how our gut plays a vital role in managing our overall health condition? In this regard, certain strains of bad bacteria present in the stool are being related to the symptomatic exhibition of diseases, such as asthma, eczema, autism, diabetes, etc.

Accordingly, scientists have established a procedure and demonstrated with the highest precision that fecal matter from a healthy person, if repopulated in the intestine of unwell person; it can prove to be a lifeline for people, who have been suffering from a recurrent microbial infection and abdominal diseases. Whereas, in the conventional module of medical treatment, constant recurrent infections in about 90% of the cases treated with antibiotics was the major challenge. Surprisingly, more than 80 clinics across the US are offering this treatment, and some of them have to relocate to bigger premises to meet the increasing demand.

Advantages of stool transplants

Thus, if you still think that it is better to be clean than being dirty; then you are seriously risking your health under the wrong notion. Experts have clarified through different experiments that certain microbial communities have been established within us, since birth and are responsible for determining our health portfolio throughout the life. However, the super sanitized lifestyle that we lead today, is responsible for the ceased growth potential of these threatened microbial communities. This is responsible for tremendous health challenges, we are currently facing.

• Fecal transplants can be referred to be as the paradigm shift in the medical microbiology for treating a number of diseases, such as difficile infections that are commonly responsible for dangerous diarrhea in children.
• People who are being suffered from an ulcerative colitis due to overgrowth of bad bacteria in their gut that is really stubborn to remove. Clinical experts have suggested excellent results post fecal transplant procedures, without any risk of stool transplants.
• Wide evidence has reportedly confirmed potential health benefits of fecal transplant in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.
• The case study conducted by researchers from Harvard University confirmed that fecal transplants are useful in patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, food allergies, and autoimmune disorders.

The risk associated with fecal transplants and the unknown future

Presently, the scientific world is trying to explore more about the health benefits of fecal transplants and believe that a lot is yet to be understood. The pathophysiology and mechanism of alterations of gut physiology by donated bacteria is still unknown. In this regard, clinicians are still on the verge of figuring out complete safety as well as the feasibility of these transplants in a vulnerable population. However, since the time of implementation of fecal transplants as a routine medical procedure, there has never been reported a single side effect.

Experts believe that more experiments should be planned and strategized to evaluate the constituents of ideal stool donor. The method of fecal preparations for transplants should be optimized with more relevant clinical data. Moreover, the best route of administration of these stool transplants should be defined for the more effective clinical outcome.

Conclusion

Although, the outer surface of guided fecal transplants may seem to be messy, but has been represented to be the medical boon, considering its applications.