A study published in Nature Neuroscience has identified a mechanism by which gut bacteria may recycle testosterone to help regulate colon motility. According to the research, androgen signaling to neurons in the enteric nervous system is required for normal intestinal transit in mice, and this signaling depends on the microbiome to function.
Depleting the gut microbiome with broad-spectrum antibiotics reduced androgen receptor expression in enteric neurons, lowered serum testosterone levels, and slowed intestinal transit. Restoring androgen signaling was partly sufficient to rescue the motility deficits, the study reported. The finding suggests a specific hormonal pathway linking antibiotics to digestive sluggishness, beyond a general disruption of microbial diversity.
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