How to Fix a Gut Microbiome Ravaged by Antibiotics

A diet rich in diverse carbohydrates outperforms faecal transplants in mice at restoring microbial diversity, which has been linked to a range of health conditions

Western-style diets (high in fat, low in fiber) impair the gut microbiome's ability to recover after antibiotic use, leading to prolonged dysbiosis and greater vulnerability to infections like Salmonella. This study in mice shows that recovery is driven not by microbial transplants, but by the right dietary environment. A fiber-rich diet enables key microbial interactions that support rapid, natural microbiome restoration, challenging the reliance on fecal transplants and highlighting diet as a safer, more effective intervention.