Poo power: Calgary study explores link between gut bacteria, fecal supplements and mental health

Could the answer to overcoming serious depression be found in a pill made from poop?

A research team from the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) is launching a study to investigate the potential link between gut bacteria and depression, and whether downing a supplement of fecal matter could help with treatment. 

"We are tapping into the gut-brain axis and power of the microbiome as a way to improve life and unlock new treatment options for individuals struggling with a variety of psychiatric conditions," said Dr. Valerie Taylor, a member of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the CSM.

The study will explore the use of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) as a treatment for Major Depressive Disorder.

FMT is a procedure in which healthy stool is transferred into the gut of a patient with a health condition. 

While it is already used to treat severe stomach problems, researchers are curious if it can also alleviate symptoms of depression.

The Calgary study will last 13 weeks and involve 18 visits to Foothills Medical Center, where participants will receive ingest either FMT capsules or placebo pills, with a 50/50 chance of receiving either. 

Researchers are looking for participants who are currently being treated for depression but continue to experience depressive episodes.

The research aims to determine if FMT is safe and effective in treating MDD.

If successful, researchers believe it could revolutionize the way mental health treatment is delivered. 

In a different (but related) study, researchers are also examining the use of FMT to help individuals with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. 

Participants will be given FMT capsules and asked to provide stool, urine, saliva and blood samples, and will be followed on a weekly basis for a period of four months.

Donors wanted

The U of C is also looking for healthy donors willing to part with their poo for use in the study.

The donations of stool follow Health Canada guidelines and could be used in either study, or for patients with recurrent C. difficile infections 

According to the U of C recruitment webpage, healthy volunteers ages 18 - 45 will go through a screening process that includes questionnaires on health status, travel, nutrition, and medications.

Blood and stool samples will also be collected for testing of microbial pathogens.