Is Aging Impacted by Changes in Gut Microbiome?

 Is Aging Impacted by Changes in Gut Microbiome?

Aging is an underlying risk factor for various diseases. Gut microbiome plays an vital role in the development of chronic diseases. The human digestive tract is inhabited by various microorganisms. Gut microbiotas of healthy adults are  stable even for decades. In life even within 2 years after birth ,the gut microbiota seems to be maintained stable. Many compounds, either endogenous or exogenous, are known to modulate health and lifespan.

Marmosets (small monkeys that live high up in the canopies of South American rainforests) are unique animal models that provides researchers an opportunity to estimate the relationship between changes in gut health and age-related health outcomes. With advancing age, the gut microbiota becomes more diverse and variable. Gut dysbiosis can trigger the innate immune response and chronic inflammation, resulting in unhealthy aging. The gut microbiota transmits with the host through various biomolecules and epigenetic mechanisms. These communications by age-related gut dysbiosis can affect the  lifespan and host health. This explains  the impact of the gut microbiome on health and aging.

With age, the gut microbiota becomes more diverse. When biological age is considered with adjustment for age, overall richness decreases. Thus, as biological age increases, the relationship between the gut microbiota and the host falls, while gut dysbiosis increases. These dysbiotic  changes in the aging gut can neutralize the beneficial effects of the gut microbiome on the nutrient signaling pathways and other pathological conditions. Gut dysbiosis can also disturb the communication between the gut ­microbiota and the host through various biomolecules, epigenetic mechanisms, affecting host health and longevity.