This is a common symptom for people that have uploaded. This is reported often in samples, and thus being examined if it reaches our threshold for inclusion as defined in A new specialized selection of suggestions links (A summary table of various studies has been added there).

Study Populations:

Symptom	Reference	Study
Bloating	1051	98

• Bacteria Detected with z-score > 2.6: found 120 items, highest value was 5.4
• Enzymes Detected with z-score > 2.6: found 298 items, highest value was 5.4
• Compound Detected with z-score > 2.6: found ZERO items

The highest z-scores above are less than other symptoms with smaller study sizes. The likely cause is a more diverse study population

Interesting Significant Bacteria

All bacteria found significant had too low levels.

The dominant bacteria group seems to be Bifidobacterium, low Bifidobacterium . The latter we know little about. I should point out that these bacteria may not be the cause, rather they may be ‘the canaries in the coal mine’ of the microbiome. These studies’ methodology determines association and not causality.

Bacteria	Reference Mean	Study	Z-Score
Bifidobacterium cuniculi (species)	82	28	5.4
Bifidobacterium catenulatum subsp. kashiwanohense (subspecies)	320	86	5.4
Bifidobacterium kashiwanohense PV20-2 (strain)	316	86	5.3
Veillonella (genus)	4054	2196	5
Bifidobacterium asteroides (species)	58	26	5
Haemophilus parahaemolyticus (species)	68	22	4.9
Lactiplantibacillus pentosus (species)	120	27	4.9
Bifidobacterium animalis (species)	1221	160	4.7
Bifidobacterium gallicum (species)	3785	1111	4.7

Interesting Enzymes

All enzymes found significant had too low levels.

I will leave it to the reader to go to Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes to learn about these enzymes (a steep learning curve).

Enzyme	Reference Mean	Study Mean	Z-Score
D-glucose-6-phosphate:NAD+ 1-oxidoreductase (1.1.1.388)	79	16	5.4
2-acetylphloroglucinol C-acetyltransferase (2.3.1.272)	184	60	5
ornithine lipid,2-oxoglutarate:oxygen oxidoreductase (ester-linked acyl 2-hydroxylase) (1.14.11.58)	81	19	5
L-tyrosine:D-ribulose-5-phosphate lyase (isonitrile-forming) (4.1.99.24)	104	38	5
ATP:L-threonine O3-phosphotransferase (2.7.1.177)	2445	613	4.9
L-pipecolate/L-proline:NADP+ 2-oxidoreductase (1.5.1.21)	183	55	4.9

Bottom Line

The absence of Bifidobacterium is echo in several studies

• Effectiveness and Safety of Probiotics for Patients with Constipation-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 10 Randomized Controlled Trials [2022]
  • “probiotics might improve the stool consistency of patients with IBS-C and increase the number of Bifidobacteria “
• “B. animalis subspecies lactis supplementation may increase defecation frequency and, in short-term treatment, may reduce CTT in healthy adults and improve stool consistency in individuals without GIS. ” [2022]
• “Bifidobacterium adolescentis were significantly less abundant in patients with Functional Abdominal Bloating/Distention, compared with healthy controls.” [2020]

REMEMBER: With your appropriate 16s sample, Dr. Artificial Intelligence on Microbiome Prescription will detail out foods, supplements et cetra to take (and to AVOID). If you do not have a sample, then review Bifidobacterium Summary Page.