The Gut Microbiome Changes Over the Course of Aging

This short open access review is a good introduction to what is known of the changes to the microbial population of the gut that take place over the course of aging. Collectively, the activity of gut microbes is influential on health, arguably to a similar degree as exercise, though far less well quantified at this time. Altering the distribution of bacterial populations in older animals, to better resemble what is observed in young animals, leads to benefits to health, for example. Some of the specific mechanisms by which beneficial gut microbes improve health are being uncovered, such as the secretion of propionate, a compound now being developed as a dietary supplement. Much more remains to be established, of course; this is a part of the broader field still in its comparative infancy. Dwelling at the interface between host epithelia and the external environment, commensal microbes actively modulate development, nutrient absorption, and disease onset in the host. Host metabolism is significantly modulated by commensal microbes, and the gut microbial composition significantly affects blood metabolite composition. Just as the composition of the microbiota varies within and between tissues, microbial consortia do also vary through time within individual tissues. Although individual gut microbiota are largely unstable in the first years of life, they become more stable during adulthood and undergo dramatic changes in richness and composition upon onset of disease and ...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs