The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis in Metabolic Syndrome and Sleep Disorders: A Systematic Review

Overview

Journal Nutrients

Date 2024 Feb 10

PMID 38337675

Authors

Adriano Dos Santos

Serena Galie

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Over recent decades, a growing body of evidence has emerged linking the composition of the gut microbiota to sleep regulation. Interestingly, the prevalence of sleep disorders is commonly related to cardiometabolic comorbidities such as diabetes, impaired lipid metabolism, and metabolic syndrome (MetS). In this complex scenario, the role of the gut-brain axis as the main communicating pathway between gut microbiota and sleep regulation pathways in the brain reveals some common host-microbial biomarkers in both sleep disturbances and MetS. As the biological mechanisms behind this complex interacting network of neuroendocrine, immune, and metabolic pathways are not fully understood yet, the present systematic review aims to describe common microbial features between these two unrelated chronic conditions.

Results: This systematic review highlights a total of 36 articles associating the gut microbial signature with MetS or sleep disorders. Specific emphasis is given to studies evaluating the effect of dietary patterns, dietary supplementation, and probiotics on MetS or sleep disturbances.

Conclusions: Dietary choices promote microbial composition and metabolites, causing both the amelioration and impairment of MetS and sleep homeostasis.

Citing Articles

The gut microbiome, immune modulation, and cognitive decline: insights on the gut-brain axis.

Zhang R, Ding N, Feng X, Liao W Front Immunol. 2025; 16:1529958.

PMID: 39911400 PMC: 11794507. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1529958.

The Effect of Sleep Disruption on Cardiometabolic Health.

Hong S, Lee D, Yoon D, Yoo S, Kim J Life (Basel). 2025; 15(1).

PMID: 39860000 PMC: 11766988. DOI: 10.3390/life15010060.

The role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis and artificial intelligence in cognitive health of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea: A narrative review.

Lv Y, Xian Y, Lei X, Xie S, Zhang B Medicine (Baltimore). 2024; 103(50):e40900.

PMID: 39686454 PMC: 11651515. DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000040900.

Back to Roots: Dysbiosis, Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Is There an Objective Connection? A Narrative Review.

Protasiewicz-Timofticiuc D, Badescu D, Mota M, Stefan A, Mitrea A, Clenciu D Nutrients. 2024; 16(23).

PMID: 39683451 PMC: 11642974. DOI: 10.3390/nu16234057.

Effect of probiotics and paraprobiotics on patients with sleep disorders and sub-healthy sleep conditions: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Yu B, Wang K, Wang N, Zhang L, Zhang J Front Neurol. 2024; 15:1477533.

PMID: 39479010 PMC: 11521871. DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1477533.

References

Wang Z, Wang Z, Lu T, Chen W, Yan W, Yuan K . The microbiota-gut-brain axis in sleep disorders. Sleep Med Rev. 2022; 65:101691. DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2022.101691. View

Li Y, Zhang B, Zhou Y, Wang D, Liu X, Li L . Gut Microbiota Changes and Their Relationship with Inflammation in Patients with Acute and Chronic Insomnia. Nat Sci Sleep. 2020; 12:895-905. PMC: 7652227. DOI: 10.2147/NSS.S271927. View

Page M, McKenzie J, Bossuyt P, Boutron I, Hoffmann T, Mulrow C . The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ. 2021; 372:n71. PMC: 8005924. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.n71. View

Ridaura V, Faith J, Rey F, Cheng J, Duncan A, Kau A . Gut microbiota from twins discordant for obesity modulate metabolism in mice. Science. 2013; 341(6150):1241214. PMC: 3829625. DOI: 10.1126/science.1241214. View

Oonk M, Krueger J, Davis C . Voluntary Sleep Loss in Rats. Sleep. 2016; 39(7):1467-79. PMC: 4909628. DOI: 10.5665/sleep.5984. View

Grosicki G, Riemann B, Flatt A, Valentino T, Lustgarten M . Self-reported sleep quality is associated with gut microbiome composition in young, healthy individuals: a pilot study. Sleep Med. 2020; 73:76-81. PMC: 7487045. DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2020.04.013. View

Wang X, Wang Z, Cao J, Dong Y, Chen Y . Gut microbiota-derived metabolites mediate the neuroprotective effect of melatonin in cognitive impairment induced by sleep deprivation. Microbiome. 2023; 11(1):17. PMC: 9887785. DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01452-3. View

Bellikci-Koyu E, Sarer-Yurekli B, Akyon Y, Aydin-Kose F, Karagozlu C, Ozgen A . Effects of Regular Kefir Consumption on Gut Microbiota in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome: A Parallel-Group, Randomized, Controlled Study. Nutrients. 2019; 11(9). PMC: 6769690. DOI: 10.3390/nu11092089. View

Bechtel W . Circadian Rhythms and Mood Disorders: Are the Phenomena and Mechanisms Causally Related?. Front Psychiatry. 2015; 6:118. PMC: 4547005. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00118. View

10.

van der Horst G, Muijtjens M, Kobayashi K, Takano R, Kanno S, Takao M . Mammalian Cry1 and Cry2 are essential for maintenance of circadian rhythms. Nature. 1999; 398(6728):627-30. DOI: 10.1038/19323. View

11.

Bravo J, Forsythe P, Chew M, Escaravage E, Savignac H, Dinan T . Ingestion of Lactobacillus strain regulates emotional behavior and central GABA receptor expression in a mouse via the vagus nerve. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011; 108(38):16050-5. PMC: 3179073. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1102999108. View

12.

Nishida K, Sawada D, Kuwano Y, Tanaka H, Rokutan K . Health Benefits of CP2305 Tablets in Young Adults Exposed to Chronic Stress: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Nutrients. 2019; 11(8). PMC: 6723420. DOI: 10.3390/nu11081859. View

13.

David L, Materna A, Friedman J, Campos-Baptista M, Blackburn M, Perrotta A . Host lifestyle affects human microbiota on daily timescales. Genome Biol. 2014; 15(7):R89. PMC: 4405912. DOI: 10.1186/gb-2014-15-7-r89. View

14.

DAgostino Sr R, Vasan R, Pencina M, Wolf P, Cobain M, Massaro J . General cardiovascular risk profile for use in primary care: the Framingham Heart Study. Circulation. 2008; 117(6):743-53. DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.699579. View

15.

Sangouni A, Alizadeh M, Jamalzehi A, Hosseinzadeh M, Parastouei K . Garlic supplementation improves intestinal transit time, lipid accumulation product and cardiometabolic indices in subjects with metabolic syndrome: A randomized controlled trial. Phytother Res. 2023; 37(6):2305-2314. DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7741. View

16.

Hwang J, Park S . The relationship between poor sleep quality measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and smoking status according to sex and age: an analysis of the 2018 Korean Community Health Survey. Epidemiol Health. 2022; 44:e2022022. PMC: 9117098. DOI: 10.4178/epih.e2022022. View

17.

Buysse D, Reynolds 3rd C, Monk T, BERMAN S, Kupfer D . The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: a new instrument for psychiatric practice and research. Psychiatry Res. 1989; 28(2):193-213. DOI: 10.1016/0165-1781(89)90047-4. View

18.

Ismael S, Silvestre M, Vasques M, Araujo J, Morais J, Duarte M . A Pilot Study on the Metabolic Impact of Mediterranean Diet in Type 2 Diabetes: Is Gut Microbiota the Key?. Nutrients. 2021; 13(4). PMC: 8068165. DOI: 10.3390/nu13041228. View

19.

Paschos G, FitzGerald G . Circadian Clocks and Metabolism: Implications for Microbiome and Aging. Trends Genet. 2017; 33(10):760-769. PMC: 5610101. DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2017.07.010. View

20.

Haro C, Garcia-Carpintero S, Rangel-Zuniga O, Alcala-Diaz J, Landa B, Clemente J . Consumption of Two Healthy Dietary Patterns Restored Microbiota Dysbiosis in Obese Patients with Metabolic Dysfunction. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2017; 61(12). DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.201700300. View