‘Gut health’ is a widely used term, but there is much uncertainty and inconsistency related to its use. An international panel has now provided a definition that includes consideration of both gastrointestinal function and symptom burden. While advancing the field, the definition also prompts a number of areas of debate.
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Acknowledgements
B.H.M. is the recipient of a Medical Research Council (MRC) Clinician Scientist Fellowship (MR/Z504002/1). The Division of Digestive Diseases receives financial support from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre based at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Imperial College London.
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B.H.M. has received consultancy fees from Ferring Pharmaceuticals and speaker fees from Tillotts Pharma.
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Mullish, B.H. Defining ‘gut health’: a leap forward, but still some road to travel. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-026-01189-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-026-01189-6
