Plant based enteral nutrition outperforms artificial nutrition in mitigating consequences of antibiotic-induced dysbiosis in mice and humans

Malnutrition, gut inflammation, and antibiotic induced dysbiosis (AID) are omnipresent risk factors for poor clinical outcomes among critically ill patients. We previously showed that commercially available plant-based enteral nutrition (PBEN) preserves a commensal microbiome when compared to commonly used forms of commercially available artificial enteral nutrition (AEN). This study reveals that PBEN is superior to artificial enteral nutrition (AEN) in recovering from antibiotic-induced dysbiosis (AID) in mice and humans. PBEN effectively mitigates anemia, leukopenia, restores naïve lymphocyte populations, and reduces bone marrow myeloid cell expansion. Animals randomized to PBEN also fared better in response to infectious challenges after antibiotics. A pilot clinical study validated these findings, showing increased gut commensals, reduced pathogens, and improved leukocyte balance in critically ill patients receiving PBEN compared to AEN. These results suggest PBEN offers a practical dietary approach to mitigate antibiotic-associated complications and improve clinical outcomes among hospitalized patients requiring supplemental nutrition.