Dietary Intake Is Unlikely to Explain Symptom Severity and Syndrome-Specific Microbiome Alterations in a Cohort of Women with Fibromyalgia

Abstract

Background: Significant alterations were recently identified in the composition and putative function of the gut microbiome in women with fibromyalgia. As diet can influence the composition of the gut microbiome, differences in nutritional intake could, in theory, account for some of these specific fibromyalgia microbiome alterations. The current study aims to compare the diet of women with fibromyalgia to that of controls in order to explore possible associations between the intake of certain nutrients, symptom severity and gut microbiome composition. Methods: The study population was comprised of 56 women with fibromyalgia and 68 controls. Dietary intake was assessed using the NIH Automated Self-Administered 24 h recall, following dietitian’s instructions and the completion of a three-day dietary recall. The gut microbiome was assessed by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing of stool samples. Results: Most demographic and anthropometric characteristics were comparable between groups. The average energy and macronutrient intake (total and relative) and overall diet quality score were not different between patients and controls, nor were the main vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, alcohol, caffeine, sugar or fiber intakes. The daily intake of micronutrients and normalized macronutrients in women with fibromyalgia was largely not correlated with disease-specific measures, including pain intensity, fatigue, cognitive symptoms and quality of sleep, or with the relative quantity of almost any of the gut microbiome bacterial taxa differentially abundant in fibromyalgia. Conclusion: These data demonstrate that dietary intakes, as evaluated by self-reported questionnaires, probably cannot explain the syndrome-specific differences in gut microbiome or the clinical phenotype of fibromyalgia.

Altered serum bile acid profile in fibromyalgia is associated with specific gut microbiome changes and symptom severity

“…The daily intake of micronutrients and normalized macronutrients in women with fibromyalgia was largely not correlated with disease-specific measures, including pain intensity, fatigue, cognitive symptoms, and quality of sleep or with the relative quantity of almost any of the gut microbiome bacterial taxa differentially abundant in fibromyalgia. 60 Taken together, these analyses suggests that at least some of the observed differences in microbiome composition, bilemetabolizing bacteria, are likely to be attributed to fibromyalgia, rather than to host-specific or environmental factors.…”

“…The daily intake of micronutrients and normalized macronutrients in women with fibromyalgia was largely not correlated with disease-specific measures, including pain intensity, fatigue, cognitive symptoms, and quality of sleep or with the relative quantity of almost any of the gut microbiome bacterial taxa differentially abundant in fibromyalgia. 60…”

Implication of intestinal microbiota in the etiopathogenesis of fibromyalgia: A systematic review

“…The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in PUBMED at http://doi.org/10.7759/CUREUS.29923, reference number [23]. The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in PUBMED at http://doi.org/10.3390/IJERPH19063254, reference number [24]. The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in PUBMED at http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.07.031, reference number [25].…”

“…Its variation, both quantitatively and qualitatively, is known as intestinal dysbiosis 17,18,20,25–28 and can lead to several pathogenic situations that favor the development of various systemic diseases. Intestinal dysbiosis starts during childhood and is strongly affected by long‐lasting and frequent antibiotic treatments, as pointed out by Berstad et al 24 . The significant dynamism of the microbiota has been identified as a characteristic of FM, as similar imbalances have been detected among patients 17,24 accompanied by intestinal permeability, as reported by Clos‐García et al., 25 a circumstance that heightens the immune response at the local level.…”

“…The gut microbiota is comprised of a set of microorganisms (essentially from the bacterial kingdom) that naturally reside in the lumen of the intestine. Its composition is unique to each individual, being influenced by the host's intestinal environment and by external factors 19,24 . Its variation, both quantitatively and qualitatively, is known as intestinal dysbiosis 17,18,20,25–28 and can lead to several pathogenic situations that favor the development of various systemic diseases.…”