Gut bacteria may control immune cell fuel – new study investigates

This study looks at how gut bacteria change the energy use of immune cells in people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and healthy adults. Researchers will give healthy volunteers a short course of antibiotics to alter their gut bacteria, then measure immune cell metabolism using a special blood test. IBD patients will be tested once without antibiotics. Participants will also consume a labeled fiber to track how gut bacteria break it down. The goal is to understand the link between gut microbes and immune cell function, which could lead to better treatments for IBD.