Signs of aging in midlife: physical function and sex differences in microbiota

AbstractMicrobiota composition has been linked to physical activity, health measures, and biological age, but a shared profile has yet to be shown. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between microbiota composition and measures of function, such as a composite measure of physical capacity, and biological age in midlife, prior to onset of age-related diseases. Seventy healthy midlife individuals (age 44.58  ± 0.18) were examined cross-sectionally, and their gut-microbiota profile was characterized from stool samples using 16SrRNA gene sequencing. Biological age was measured using the Klemera-Doubal method and a composition of blood and physiological biomarkers. Physical capacity was calculated ba sed on sex-standardized functional tests. We demonstrate that the women had significantly richer microbiota,p = 0.025; however, microbiota diversity was not linked with chronological age, biological age, or physical capacity for either women or men. Men had slightly greater β-diversity; however, β-diversity was positively associated with biological age and with physical capacity for women only (p = 0.01 andp = 0.04; respectively). For women, an increase in abundance ofRoseburia faecis andCollinsella aerofaciens, as well as genusRuminococcus andDorea, was significantly associated with higher biological age and lower physical capacity; an increase in abundance ofAkkermansia muciniphila and generaBacteroides andAlistipes was associated with younger bi...
Source: AGE - Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research