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Gut bacteria may hold key to alcohol addiction treatment

NCT ID NCT02911077

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC) Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Aug 18, 2026 · Updated 11 times

Summary

This study looked at 23 adults going through alcohol detox to see how the bacteria in their mouth and gut change over time. Researchers collected stool and mouth samples along with diet and mood questionnaires. The goal was to better understand the link between gut bacteria, anxiety, and depression in alcohol dependence.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

What this could lead to
If successful, this could point toward new ways to treat alcohol dependence by targeting gut bacteria.
What could go wrong
This is a small, observational study with only 23 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. It does not test any treatment.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Participants

23 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Sep 2016

Finished

Aug 2017

Lead sponsor

A government research agency

The lead sponsor is the US National Institutes of Health.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Who is studied

inpatient treatment seeking alcohol dependent participants

Ages

18 to 99 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

* INCLUSION CRITERIA: * At least 18 years of age * Willing to provide consent * Consented on screening and research protocol 14-AA-0181 * Admitted to the NIH CC for inpatient detoxification treatment EXCLUSION CRITERIA: * Currently using or have used any of the following drugs within the last month by self-report: * Antibiotics * Corticosteroids: inhaled, oral, intravenous or intramuscular * Immunosuppressive or cytotoxic agents * Large doses of probiotics such as supplemental probiotics (ordinary dietary components such as beverages/milk or yogurt DO NOT APPLY) * Major surgery of the GI tract with the exclusion of cholecystectomy and appendectomy in the past 5 years. * Any bowel resection at any time. * History of active uncontrolled gastrointestinal disorders or diseases including inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn s disease, and/or infectious gastroenteritis, colitis, or gastritis (per patient s report of whether or not they have been diagnosed by a physician). * Enrolled in any investigational study that might affect the microbiome. * BMI greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 Some of these exclusionary criteria have been adapted from the Human Microbiome Project \[40\]. All exclusion measures will be collected from self-report.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

alcohol abuse alcohol dependence alcohol-related disorders Alcoholic Intoxication

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Alcohol-related disorders Alcoholic intoxication

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

    Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

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