L-arginine from Faecalibacterium prausnitzii may improve insomnia by reducing stress hormone activity

Integration of metagenomic sequencing from 171 individuals identifies Faecalibacterium prausnitzii depletion and reduced L-arginine biosynthesis as common features in insomnia subtypes.

• Insomnia is associated with gut microbial dysbiosis, specifically a reduction in Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and L-arginine production.
• Elevated cortisol levels are observed in individuals with primary and post-COVID insomnia.
• Genomic and lab analyses confirm that F. prausnitzii plays a significant role in producing L-arginine.
• In a mouse model of chronic mild stress, administration of F. prausnitzii or L-arginine improves sleep duration and restores normal stress hormone levels.
• L-arginine may influence sleep by suppressing the expression of a specific gene involved in stress hormone regulation.

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