Does Acarbose Extend Life in Short Lived Species via Gut Microbiome Changes?

Acarbose is one of a few diabetes medications shown to modestly slow aging in short-lived species. Researchers here take a look at the evidence for this effect on life span to be mediated by changes in the gut microbiome. The gut microbiome changes with age: the relative numbers of harmful microbes increasing, contributing to the chronic inflammation of aging, while relative numbers of beneficial microbes decreases, causing a reduction in metabolites known to help tissue function. Directly changing the gut microbiome to a more youthful configuration via fecal microbiota transplantation has been shown to improve health and extend life in laboratory species, so it is not unreasonable to hypothesize that some of the pharmaceutical approaches that slow aging act at least in part by adjusting the gut microbiome. The existing literature provides evidence that acarbose can affect the life span. This review links inflammation, mitochondria, and telomeres with the gut microbiota, illustrating individual mechanisms involved in acarbose-associated life span extension. Acarbose improves the immune system, inflammatory response, and mitochondrial function by affecting the gut microbiota. Acarbose supplementation is a cost-effective method for delaying aging given its potential health-restorative effects and limited side effects. This offers hope for analyzing the use of acarbose to improve health and reduce the risk of age-related diseases. Additional experiments should be...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs