In our peer-reviewed pilot study with Arizona State University, published in mSystems (American Society for Microbiology, 2024), 62% of participants reported some improvement on a parent-rated global impression survey after three months on personalized synbiotics, alongside measurably increased gut microbiome diversity. It was an open-label pilot, not a randomized controlled trial.
The next question for the research
That 62% was an average across everyone in an open-label pilot. The autism gut microbiome isn't one uniform picture: it appears to fall into distinct subtypes, each with its own signature. Whether matching a formula to the subtype changes outcomes is an open research question, not a result. Flore is working toward a randomized controlled trial in autism, and you can be part of the research.
Join our autism research →Why this is an NDI (neurobiome-directed intervention) story
Autism is one of the clearest real-world tests of the gut–brain axis — up to 70–90% of autistic children have GI symptoms, and their microbiomes differ measurably from neurotypical peers. NDIs rest on the idea that changing the gut can change brain-linked outcomes; our study is one of the few to test it with individualized formulas built from each participant's whole-genome sequencing rather than a one-size blend.
What the numbers said
Over three months, participants showed increased microbiome diversity, and at least half reported improvement in GI problems, receptive and expressive language, and cognition on parent-rated surveys. The honest frame: this was an open-label pilot with no control group, so it is promising, not conclusive. Flore is working toward a randomized controlled trial in autism.
Precision, and the phage research
Every autistic child's gut is different, so a fixed probiotic is a guess. Flore builds each formula from whole-genome sequencing, run by CLIA-certified partner labs. Flore is also studying targeted bacteriophages in autism as research, not as an available product. Flore's formulas are everyday gut support; they do not treat autism.
Not sure where to start with your gut?
Ask the Flore Microbiome Concierge — a guided, personalized walkthrough of testing, your results, and a formula matched to your goals.
Talk to the Concierge →Explore the science of the neurobiome →
New to this topic? Start with Autism and the Gut-Brain Axis.