Du Preez, S, Corbitt, M, Cabanas, H et al. · Systematic reviews · 2018 · DOI
Researchers reviewed seven studies looking at whether gut bacteria differences might cause ME/CFS symptoms. While all studies found some differences in gut bacteria between ME/CFS patients and healthy people, the findings were inconsistent and often not statistically significant. Currently, there isn't enough reliable evidence to say that abnormal gut bacteria are a major cause of ME/CFS.
Understanding potential gut microbiome changes in ME/CFS could lead to new diagnostic tools or targeted treatments like probiotics. This systematic review critically evaluates current evidence and identifies the need for higher-quality research using consistent diagnostic criteria and methods, which could ultimately improve how we understand and treat ME/CFS.
This review does not prove that gut dysbiosis causes ME/CFS symptoms—it only examines whether differences exist. The inconsistency across studies and methodological limitations mean we cannot yet determine whether microbiome changes are a primary cause, secondary effect, or clinically meaningful contributor to ME/CFS pathogenesis.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Du Preez, S, Corbitt, M, Cabanas, H, Eaton, N, Staines, D, & Marshall-Gradisnik, S (2018). A systematic review of enteric dysbiosis in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.. Systematic reviews. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-018-0909-0
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-du-preez-2018-systematic-review,
author = {Du Preez, S and Corbitt, M and Cabanas, H and Eaton, N and Staines, D and Marshall-Gradisnik, S},
title = {A systematic review of enteric dysbiosis in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.},
journal = {Systematic reviews},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1186/s13643-018-0909-0},
note = {PubMed: 30572962},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/du-preez-2018-systematic-review},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/du-preez-2018-systematic-review
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