Summary: Some colon microbes may play important roles in aging, which might have an impact on how to promote healthier aging. A reduction in important bacterial species, such as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and a compensating increase in other varieties that support the maintenance of gut health were found in research conducted on more than 200 octogenarians.
These changes affect swelling, blood sugar, and supplement levels, suggesting colon bacteria as possible markers for aging. Researchers are currently looking into whether these fungal shifts can be used to create healing combinations to promote aging populations.
Important Information:
- As people get older, the colon variety declines, affecting vital functions for colon health.
- Reduction of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii prompts an increase in various butyrate-producing bacteria, supporting colon health.
- Some bacteria have a relationship with important health measures, such as blood sugar and acid levels, which could indicate a healthy ageing.
Origin: ASTAR
A brand-new study has discovered that gut microbes does play a significant role in aging and that particular bugs may become targeted to combat this.
The , Nature Communications , study was conducted by scientists from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research Genome Institute of Singapore ( A*STAR GIS), in collaboration with researchers from the A*STAR Singapore Immunology Network ( A*STAR SIgN), A*STAR Institute for Human Development and Potential ( A*STAR IHDP ) and the National University of Singapore ( NUS).
Aging is a complex, multi-factorial occurrence with progressive decline in many physiological functions. Researchers are looking for ways to know the aging process and discover crucial lifestyle and dietary factors to promote healthy aging in Singapore because the country’s population is rapidly aging.
As part of this effort, the team conducted the first large-scale study on over 200 octogenarians ( people aged 80 – 89 ) in Singapore.
Their research revealed how the colon microbiome changes as people get older, highlighting important bacterial species that are linked to aging and their possible effects on health.
The research team used advanced DNA sequencing to discover a major decline in gut bacterial variety as people get older.
A particularly prominent finding was the drop of , Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, a critical pathogen responsible for producing butyrate—an necessary short-chain fatty acids that maintains gut health, reduces inflammation, supports colon barrier function, and facilitates gut-brain communication.
Scientists observed an raise in , Alistipes , and , Bacteroides , types, with , Alistipes , utilising other materials from , Bacteroides , to create butyrate.
This significant change may account for the reduction of , F.  , prausnitzii, enhancing the physiological capacity of the old gut to make butyrate and promoting healthier aging.
The team then turned to preclinical models of healthy aging to verify their findings from the human cohort.
Despite the variations in the microbes present in the various host species, it was surprising to discover that the different host species’ pathways all had remarkably similar functional enrichments.
This suggests that despite the fact that the specific microbes may be similar in their functional roles in promoting healthy aging.
Additionally, the research team examined the association between gut bacterial changes and health markers such as inflammation, blood sugar and vitamin levels.
They identified , Parabacteroides goldsteinii, a promising probiotic species associated with fasting blood glucose levels, as well as key gut species like , Streptococcus parasanguinis , and , Bacteroides coprocola, which were linked to serum Vitamin B12 , levels, suggesting that these bacteria may serve as indicators for monitoring healthy aging.
The researchers looked into the development of non-invasive tests for frailty based on gut bacteria analysis in light of the potential of these associations.
The team intends to look into the identified microbial strains and their metabolic pathways in their next study. They hope to find out how these findings can be potentially translated into formulations that promote healthy aging by using preclinical testing.
The study’s lead scientist, A*STAR GIS Aarthi Ravikrishnan, stated,” Our research provides important insights into the distinct microbiome and the metabolic shifts that are caused by aging.
This study provides exciting fresh perspectives on studying the biology of aging, with a particular focus on Asian populations.
Our findings set the stage for further research aimed at developing targeted probiotic and prebiotic therapies that promote healthy aging through gut microbiome modulation, according Associate Professor Niranjan Nagarajan, Associate Director, Genome Architecture, and Senior Group Leader, Laboratory of Metagenomic Technologies and Microbial Systems at A*STAR GIS.
This study has revealed a better understanding and characterization of the gut microbiome in our local aging population as well as the potential biomarkers or probiotics unique to the Asian population that can promote healthy aging and identify people at risk for aging-associated diseases, according to Dr. Wan Yue, Executive Director at A*STAR GIS.
” This can serve as a useful marker for early detection of diseases and interventions, improving patient prognosis”.
About this news about aging and microbiome
Author: Shu Chian Tay
Source: ASTAR
Contact: Shu Chian Tay – ASTAR
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
Aarthi Ravikrishnan and colleagues ‘” Gut Metagenomes of Asian octogenarians reveal distinct microbial species associated with aging phenotypes” ( ). Nature Communications
Abstract
Asian octogenarians ‘ gut metagenomes reveal distinct microbial species and metabolic potential expansion as well as aging phenotypes.
While rapid demographic changes in Asia are driving the incidence of chronic aging-related diseases, the limited availability of high-quality in vivo data hampers our ability to understand complex multi-factorial contributions, including gut microbial, to healthy aging.
Leveraging a well-phenotyped cohort of community-living octogenarians in Singapore, we used deep shotgun-metagenomic sequencing for high-resolution taxonomic and functional characterization of their gut microbiomes ( n = 234).
Joint species-level analysis with other Asian cohorts identified distinct age-associated shifts characterized by reduction in microbial richness, and specific , Alistipes , and , Bacteroides , species enrichment ( e. g.,  , Alistipes shahii , and , Bacteroides xylanisolvens ).
Functional analysis confirmed these changes correspond to metabolic potential expansion in aging towards alternate pathways synthesizing and utilizing amino-acid precursors, vis-à-vis dominant microbial guilds producing butyrate in gut from pyruvate ( e. g.,  , Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Roseburia inulinivorans ).
Extending these observations to key clinical markers helped identify >, 10 robust microbial associations to inflammation, cardiometabolic and liver health, including potential probiotic species ( e. g.,  , Parabacteroides goldsteinii ) and pathobionts ( e. g.,  , Klebsiella pneumoniae ), highlighting the microbiome’s role as biomarkers and potential targets for promoting healthy aging.
