Analysis of gut bacteria from 28 men undergoing prostate surgery revealed that Methanobrevibacter smithii was significantly depleted in patients with enlarged prostates exceeding 40 mL. Men with poor bladder emptying showed reduced Collinsella and increased Gastranaerophilales bacteria, establishing specific microbial signatures for different urologic phenotypes.
This research adds compelling evidence to the emerging gut-prostate axis concept, suggesting that certain bacterial strains may influence prostate health through systemic pathways. M. smithii, a methane-producing archaeon, has been linked to slower gut transit and anti-inflammatory effects in other contexts, making its depletion in enlarged prostates particularly intriguing. The finding that overall microbial diversity remained unchanged while specific taxa varied indicates that targeted bacterial interventions might be more relevant than broad-spectrum approaches. However, the small sample size and cross-sectional design limit causal inferences. This preliminary work opens promising avenues for developing microbiome-based diagnostics or therapeutics for benign prostatic hyperplasia, though larger longitudinal studies are essential to determine whether these bacterial patterns precede prostate enlargement or result from it.