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Gut microbiota taxa Enterorhabdus, Family XIII AD3011 group, Paraprevotella, and Lachnospiraceae UCG004 are associated with increased insomnia risk, while Coprococcus1, Coprobacter, Desulfovibrio, Flavonifractor, Olsenella, Odoribacter, and Oscillibacter are linked to decreased insomnia risk.

A Mendelian randomization study of European ancestry individuals identified multiple genus-level gut microbial taxa with potential causal effects on insomnia risk. Four taxa were associated with increased risk, and seven with decreased risk, with results robust across sensitivity analyses.

Last updated: Jul 7, 2026•0 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score32/100
Human RCT☆☆☆☆☆
Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Appraising the Effects of Gut Microbiota on Insomnia Risk Through Genetic Causal Analysis.

observational

Li P, Wang S, Li J, Xiao Z, Zhu H, Sheng D, Liu W, Xiao B, Zhou L · American journal of medical genetics. Part B, Neuropsychiatric genetics : the official publication of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics (2025)

Participants: N/A
Duration: N/A
Intervention: Genetic variants associated with gut microbiota abundance (Mendelian randomization)
Outcome: Insomnia risk (general insomnia, trouble falling asleep, waking too early)
Effect Size: N/A (odds ratios not explicitly reported in abstract)
Population: Individuals of European ancestry (GWAS data from MiBioGen, Neale Lab, and FinnGen)

Result:

PubMed: 39754389DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.33021

Mechanism Graph

Gut microbiota produce metabolites that influence brain function via the microbiota-gut-brain axis
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Specific bacterial taxa may modulate neurotransmitter synthesis or inflammatory pathways
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Altered microbial composition affects sleep-regulating neural circuits
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Result: Increased or decreased insomnia risk depending on taxa

Limitations

  • ⚠Mendelian randomization cannot fully exclude confounding or reverse causation
  • ⚠Study population limited to European ancestry, limiting generalizability
  • ⚠GWAS summary data may not capture dynamic changes in microbiota over time

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Mendelian randomization?▼

Mendelian randomization uses genetic variants as instrumental variables to infer causal relationships between an exposure (e.g., gut microbiota) and an outcome (e.g., insomnia), reducing confounding.

Which gut bacteria were linked to higher insomnia risk?▼

Enterorhabdus, Family XIII AD3011 group, Paraprevotella, and Lachnospiraceae UCG004 were associated with increased insomnia risk.

Can these findings be used to develop treatments?▼

The study suggests potential therapeutic targets, but further clinical trials are needed to confirm causality and develop interventions.

Were there different effects for different insomnia symptoms?▼

Yes, specific taxa were linked to trouble falling asleep (e.g., Eisenbergiella increased risk) and waking too early (e.g., Family XIII UCG001 increased risk).

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References

  1. 1.Li P, Wang S, Li J, Xiao Z, Zhu H, Sheng D, Liu W, Xiao B, Zhou L. "Appraising the Effects of Gut Microbiota on Insomnia Risk Through Genetic Causal Analysis.." American journal of medical genetics. Part B, Neuropsychiatric genetics : the official publication of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics, 2025. PMID: 39754389 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.33021
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Evidence scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical recommendations. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or intervention.