Tryptophan Metabolism and Inflammaging

Today's open access research on tryptophan and its role in age-related immune dysfunction is particularly interesting in the context of ongoing research into the changes that take place in gut microbiota with age. Other recent work has examined the way in which tryptophan production by gut microbes declines precipitously with age, as this is one of a number of compounds produced by bacteria, such as butyrate, indole, and proprionate, that are influential on long term health. It is a slow process, but researchers are uncovering the specific mechanisms linking age-related changes in gut microbe populations with declining health. The overall size of effect of gut microbes on heath might be in the same ballpark as that of exercise, but this is only suggested by the evidence to date, not rigorously established. Given detrimental changes in gut microbes, declining production of beneficial compounds, and a rise in chronic inflammation due to a rise in the presence of harmful microbes, what might be done about all of this? One possibility is supplementation with the various identified compounds, not all of which can make it past the stomach without some form of protection. Some have been tested, with varying results. Another is fecal microbiota transplant, which has produced some quite eye-opening results on life span and measures of health in short-lived species such as killifish. As a treatment for severe conditions in which pathological microbes have taken hold in a patient...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs