Who is most likely to benefit from gut microbiome diversity?

Who benefits most from gut microbiome diversity?

People with obesity and metabolic syndrome appear to benefit the most. In a study of 191 children with obesity, those classified as 'metabolically unhealthy' had significantly lower gut microbial diversity (Chao1 index p=0.021, Simpson's index p=0.045) compared to their metabolically healthy counterparts [1]. Another study of 21 adults with obesity found that their gut microbiota diversity was significantly decreased compared to 21 normal-weight controls, with specific shifts in bacterial groups like Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes [9]. This suggests that low diversity is a hallmark of metabolic dysfunction, and raising it could help restore healthier metabolism.

People with chronic inflammatory conditions also stand to gain. In a study of 44 adults with asthma, those with severe asthma had altered gut microbiome compositions—specifically lower levels of Acidaminococcaceae and higher levels of Veillonellaceae and Prevotellaceae—compared to those with non-severe asthma or healthy controls [8]. Similarly, a protocol for a randomized trial in heart failure patients hypothesizes that boosting gut microbiome diversity through yoga-based cardiac rehabilitation may reduce systemic inflammation and improve heart function [6]. These findings indicate that inflammatory diseases may be particularly responsive to microbiome diversity improvements.

Older adults may benefit from interventions that restore youthful microbial diversity. In a rat study, transferring plasma from young rats (5 weeks old) to old rats (24 months old) significantly increased alpha diversity indices (Shannon and Simpson values) and shifted the gut microbiota profile toward that of young controls [10]. Conversely, transferring old plasma to young rats reduced diversity. This suggests that age-related decline in microbial diversity is reversible, and older individuals could be prime candidates for diversity-boosting therapies.

How can you boost gut microbiome diversity?

Diet is a powerful lever. A study of 2,289 healthy first-degree relatives of Crohn's disease patients found that a Mediterranean-like dietary pattern was strongly associated with a defined microbial composition, including higher levels of fiber-degrading bacteria like Ruminococcus and Faecalibacterium, and with lower levels of subclinical gut inflammation (measured by fecal calprotectin) [7]. This suggests that adopting a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can directly increase beneficial bacteria and reduce inflammation.

Probiotics can also enhance diversity, especially in specific populations. In weaning pigs, supplementing with 0.2% Lactobacillus plantarum and L. acidophilus significantly improved microbial richness and diversity (Shannon and Simpson indices) compared to controls [2]. In broiler chickens, a multi-strain probiotic (Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. reuteri, Bifidobacterium longum) at 1.0 g/kg increased alpha diversity (Shannon, Chao1, Faith's phylogenetic diversity) and boosted beneficial Lactobacillus while reducing harmful Clostridium perfringens [3]. In laying hens, probiotics increased species richness (Chao1 and Shannon indices) but decreased diversity according to the Simpson index, suggesting a more targeted microbial community [5]. These animal studies indicate that probiotics can reshape the gut ecosystem, though effects may vary by host and dose.

Dietary compounds like anthocyanins—found in berries, red grapes, and purple vegetables—may also help. A review notes that anthocyanins modulate gut microbial populations, improving diversity and increasing beneficial bacteria, which in turn produce short-chain fatty acids and other metabolites that protect against chronic diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease [11]. This highlights how specific food components can act as prebiotics to support a diverse microbiome.

What are the limits and caveats?

Not everyone responds the same way. Demographic factors like age and geography strongly influence gut microbiome diversity, while sex has limited impact within healthy BMI ranges, according to an analysis of the American Gut Project dataset [12]. This means that a one-size-fits-all approach to boosting diversity may not work; interventions may need to be tailored to age and location.

Microbiome diversity isn't always the whole story. A meta-analysis of 63 studies on aquatic animals found that microplastics significantly altered gut microbial community structure (between-group distances 87.75% higher than within-group) but did not significantly affect richness or Shannon diversity [4]. This shows that community composition can change without a change in overall diversity, and that diversity metrics alone may miss important shifts in bacterial types.

Some interventions that boost diversity may also have trade-offs. In laying hens, probiotics increased species richness but decreased diversity according to the Simpson index, indicating a more uniform community [5]. This suggests that 'more diversity' isn't always better—sometimes a targeted shift toward beneficial bacteria is the goal. Additionally, in the probiotic study on broilers, benefits were dose-dependent, with 1.0 g/kg outperforming 0.5 g/kg, but no additional benefit at 1.5 g/kg [3], indicating an optimal range beyond which effects plateau.

About These Sources

This answer is built on 12 peer-reviewed studies — published from 2021 to 2026, 6 from 2024 or later, 6 in Q1 journals, collectively cited 577 times — selected as the most relevant from 15 studies that passed quality screening, drawn from 78 papers retrieved from a database of over 500 million.

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