Gut microbiota research is advancing fast, but experts say microbiome-based therapies need to be personalized — not standardized. A review published in the Journal of Investigational Allergology and Clinical Immunology finds that while dysbiosis (microbial imbalance) is consistently linked to inflammatory diseases, causality remains unproven. Conditions like multiple sclerosis, dry eye, and food allergies show promising responses to probiotics and other microbiota-targeted strategies, but evidence quality varies widely across interventions.

Researchers emphasize that early life is a critical window — disruptions like antibiotic use during pregnancy or infancy are linked to higher risks of asthma and atopic conditions. Interestingly, a COVID-era cohort study found that vertical mother-to-baby transmission matters more for allergy development than environmental microbial exposure.

Key Takeaways:

• Dysbiosis features (reduced diversity, reduced short-chain fatty acids, impaired gut barrier) recur across diseases but don't confirm causation
• FMT evidence remains largely anecdotal in rheumatoid arthritis; more robust signals seen in MS pilot studies
• High-fiber, low-glycemic diets are associated with healthier microbiota and reduced inflammatory risk
• Future trials must standardize protocols and integrate metabolic, proteomic, and clinical data

Why it matters: Microbiome therapies hold real promise for managing inflammatory diseases, but without validated biomarkers and personalized approaches, broad clinical recommendations remain premature. Precision medicine frameworks are the next frontier.