Are you an early riser or late in the evening? It is written in the intestinal flora. A comprehensive scheme of gut bacteria composition identifies specific bacterial groups that differ between early risers and late sleepers. This was revealed by a research by the University of Haifa, published in The Faseb Journal. Faecal samples were collected from 91 individuals to extract and sequence bacterial DNA.
The analysis of the DNA sequences of each sample allowed the identification of all intestinal bacterial species and the quantification of their abundance. Participant chronotype was determined based on self-reported sleep times over the weekend (waking up without an alarm).
Comparison of gut bacteria in early risers and late risers revealed two main bacterial groups whose abundance differed between chronotypes (Alistipes (high in early risers) and Lachnospira (high in late risers). The researchers also compared the diets of the different groups. of chronotypes and found that high-fiber foods (fruits, vegetables) and drinking water were important in early waking diets, while plain sugar and high-protein (and sugary) drinks were associated with those who instead he slept later and woke up just as late.The study provides experts with the first step towards developing specific diets to alter the intestinal bacterial community and improve the health of so-called late chronotypes. (ANSA).
