Despite affecting half the population, women’s health has historically been and continues to be understudied. A recent report found that there are 67% less clinical trials that were female-only compared to male-only.

It’s important that everyone, including women, are represented in research so that we can develop effective future treatments and therapies. Advancing women’s health is key to achieving universal health coverage, health equity and gender equality.

In recognition of this, the UK government recently published a Renewed Women’s Health Strategy setting out plan’s to improve women’s health and healthcare over the next 10 years.

Here at the Quadram Institute we are using our world-leading food, gut health and microbiome research to drive new discoveries about and improve women’s health.

Exploring ways to increase vitamin B12 and iron in vegan and vegetarian women

Iron and vitamin B12 deficiency causes symptoms such as fatigue, lack of energy, tinnitus, breathlessness, loss of appetite and more. Menstruating vegan and vegetarian women compared to omnivores are particularly at risk of having low iron and B12 not only due to monthly blood loss, but also the fact that plants do not produce B12 and the iron in plants is less bioavailable than in meat.

As a result, vegan and vegetarian women of childbearing age with regular menstruation are more likely to become insufficient or even deficient in these nutrients.]

Here at the Quadram Institute we are currently running the HARVEST study, led by Dr Jennifer Ahn-Jarvis, Dr Gemma Beasy, Silas Triller and Dr Paul Kroon, to investigate the use of hydroponically-grown, biofortified salad greens, and use of a dietary app, on iron and vitamin B12 status in vegan or vegetarian menstruating women. This study aims to provide valuable insight into the effectiveness of these strategies.

• Find out more about the HARVEST study and how you can take part 

Studying microbes associated with ME/CFS in women

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) affects more four times as many women as men . ME/CFS is a complex, long-term illness characterised by severe fatigue, along with other symptoms like sleep disturbances, brain fog, flu-like feelings and sensory sensitivities. Its exact cause isn’t known.

Our new COMPASS-ME study aims to investigate the links between (ME/CFS) and infectious microbes in women.

Research has suggested that microbial infection may trigger or worsen the condition, by disrupting the immune system and causing long-term inflammation.

To better understand which microbes are linked to ME/CFS, our researchers are recruiting females, aged 18-45, with a confirmed ME diagnosis along with healthy volunteers who are living in England to the study. The team are looking for volunteers who are willing to collect swab samples from the comfort of home and post them to the Quadram Institute.

The team will then compare these samples, to identify any bacteria, fungi or viruses that are associated with ME/CFS.

• Find out more about the COMPASS-ME study and how you can take part

Learning how gut microbes contribute to health in pregnancy

Pregnant and breastfeeding women are especially under-represented in research, involved in just 1.1% and 0.6% of trials respectively.

Back in 2019, Professor Lindsay Hall’s research group started the PEARL study focused specifically on pregnant and breastfeeding women to understand how the transmission of beneficial microbes from mother to baby affects health.

261 pregnant women across Norfolk took part in the study. The PEARL study involved collecting blood, stool, skin swab and breast milk samples during pregnancy, birth and up to 24 months post birth to look at the microbes found in them.

Our researchers are currently analysing the data from the PEARL study to learn more about the early life microbiome and provide an evidence base to develop safe new therapies for establishing a healthy microbiome early in life.

Research into the fungus that causes vaginal thrush

Around three in four women will experience vaginal thrush at some point in their lives. This common condition is usually caused by a type of yeast called Candida albicans.

While many cases can be treated with a single dose of antifungal medicine, some infections keep coming back or are harder to treat. Despite how common thrush is, there have been limited ways for scientists to study it in detail.

Now, our researchers Dr Emily Jones and Dr Steve James together with our Human Studies Team and gynecologists at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital are working to change this. Together they are working on a pioneering project to develop a new-organ-on-chip model to study how these infections develop.

In the future, this could lead to faster clinical diagnosis, more effective treatment and better care for women affect by recurrent thrush.

Investigating the role of gut bacteria in breast cancer

Another area of women’s health we work on is investigating the role of gut bacteria in breast cancer.

Bacteria living in our gut can affect our immune system and previous research in other cancers has shown a connection between healthier gut bacteria and better overall outcomes for patients.

Dr Stephen Robinson and his group are looking into how exactly the bacteria help our bodies prevent cancer from progressing, funded by the charity Breast Cancer Now.

Using our expertise in human studies, nutrition and microbiome research we are building better knowledge of women’s health and helping pave the way for future diagnostics and treatments.