How stomach and bowel movement differ between men and women, including people with diabetes
Official title: Differences in Gastrointestinal Motility Between Males and Females in Health and Diabetes
Funded at Tuskegee University · NIH-11015766 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at how estrogen and a receptor called GPER change stomach and colon movement in men, cycling women, and people with diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tuskegee University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tuskegee Institute, United States) |
| Project start | February 17, 2021 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $361,155 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK124269-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11015766 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for follow-up or related clinical participation would be adults with chronic gut motility problems, women who notice cycle-related symptom changes, and people living with diabetes who have digestive symptoms.
✕Less likely to help
People whose gut problems are caused by surgical obstruction, active infection, or structural disease are unlikely to benefit from hormone/GPER-focused findings.
What this research studies
From a patient's view, researchers are studying why digestion moves differently in men and women and why women's digestion changes across the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. They will use lab tests on smooth muscle, measure how fast food moves through the gut (GI transit) in animal models, and compare tissues with and without the GPER receptor to see how it controls relaxation of the stomach and colon. The team will compare males, females at different hormone cycle phases, and models of diabetes to link hormone-driven changes to motility differences. Findings are meant to point toward biological targets that could help future treatments for sex- and cycle-related gut problems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new targets to relieve constipation, bloating, or other motility problems that affect women and people with diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal and tissue studies provide preliminary evidence that GPER affects smooth muscle relaxation, but translating this to human treatments remains unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee Institute, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mahavadi, Sunila — Tuskegee University
- Study coordinator: Mahavadi, Sunila
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.