Understanding the effects of CAH on the gut microbiome
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding the effects of congenital adrenal hyperplasia on the gut microbiome and their subsequent impact on patient health
IRAS ID
364459
Contact name
Irina-Alexandra Bacila
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Sheffield
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 9 months, 30 days
Research summary
Steroid hormones are a group of substances with important roles in the provision of energy, metabolism, inflammation and the development of sex characteristics. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is a disease in which the body produces insufficient amounts of some steroid hormones (in particular cortisol, also known as “the stress hormone”), while another group – the sex hormones (such as testosterone) – are in excess. Because of this imbalance, patients need to receive life-long replacement treatment with synthetic cortisol, and can develop metabolic disease, such as obesity and diabetes. However, the biological mechanisms through which metabolic problems occur in CAH are not fully understood, which makes it difficult for patients and doctors to take measures to prevent them. The gut microbiome (bacteria that are normally present in the gut and have a positive contribution to biological functions) controls several metabolic processes, being especially involved in the management of fats and sugars. Recent studies have shown that the production of steroid hormones and the gut microbiome influence each other. We want to study how abnormal amounts of steroids influence the microbiome in patients with CAH; this will help us understand how changes in metabolism occur and find better ways of preventing them. We will conduct a project that will study the gut microbiome of patients with CAH. We will analyse their stool samples to observe changes in the microbiome in comparison to healthy individuals and in relation to disease, sex and hormone medication. We believe that this project will provide important knowledge on the roles of steroids and help reduce the risk of developing metabolic disease in patients.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/EE/0025
Date of REC Opinion
5 Mar 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion