Swallowing faecal capsules reduces peanut allergy in six adults

Alice Klein / newscientist - Altering the gut microbiomes of people with peanut allergy using faeces donated from an allergy-free individual improved their peanut tolerance in a clinical trial

AI Summary: A small human trial showed swallowing fecal microbiota capsules reduced peanut allergy responses in six adults, while parallel animal and mechanistic work implicates bile-acid metabolites in restoring oral tolerance. The findings revive interest in microbiome-based desensitization, though larger trials are required before anyone starts prescribing ‘poop pills’ as routine therapy.