Boosting gut health a key to longevity? New study throws light on why some people live longer

Gut health has been linked to overall health by many studies. It has turned out it can also impact your longevity. A new study published in Exploratory Research and Hypothesis in Medicine finds links between a healthy gut microbiome and ageing well.

Gut microbiome is a microscopic world inside your body with trillions of microorganisms residing there that also appear to influence many aspects of your overall health, both within your digestive system and outside of it, says a research in The Lancet.

In fact you are first exposed to microbes when you pass through your mother’s birth canal. There is also evidence that babies may encounter some microbes while inside the womb, as per a study published in Cell Host Microbe. As we grow, the gut microbiome turns more diverse and begin to contain different microbial special. Higher microbiome diversity is crucial for a robust gut health as well as overall health.

Foods that boost gut health

Fibre-rich foods lie fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, and probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi add to the healthy bacteria, improving the overall health and longevity.

Connection with gut microbiome and healthy ageing

Ageing as time goes by is natural and it leads to physical, biochemical and metabolic changes within the body

The latest study highlights the lesser studied factor of the role of a diverse microbial community in health.
This review investigated how gut microbiome and aging are related, highlighting microbiota-dependent mechanisms that regulate aging. It also attempted to find out ways to promote healthy aging through microbiome modulation.

The review highlights how the gut microbiome evolves from birth to puberty and then turning old.

It notes that in infancy, the microbiome is less diverse, dominated by Bifidobacterium in breastfed babies and Bacteroides in formula-fed infants. By adulthood, a strong core microbiome is developed, which starts taking care of immune and metabolic functions. Puberty can introduce its own changes in the microbiome, which could be due to hormones. In older adults, microbial diversity goes down, due to which there is abundance of frailty-linked microbes. These changes impact age-related conditions such as sarcopenia and osteoporosis.

Aging-related disorders due to changing gut microbiome

The study says neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD).

This process is linked to diseases like AD, PD, cardiovascular conditions, and Type 2 diabetes. Reduced levels of beneficial SCFA-producing bacteria and increased gut permeability exacerbate inflammation, which can increase disease progression.

Gut's connection to immunity

Immunosenescence, a decline in immune function is linked to gut microbiome changes. This happens due to reduced microbial diversity which can diminish immune system's ability to fight infections.

What's the solution?

Maintaining microbial diversity as we grow older can delay immunosenescence and improve immune response, preventing many age-related issues and diseases.

Probiotic strains like Bifidobacterium longum and Lactobacillus can improve immunity and reduce inflammation in older adults. Regular physical activity and a balanced diet also help maintain a diverse and stable microbiome, which is important for longevity and health in aging populations.

It seems, the key to slowing down ageing lies in keeping your gut microbiome diverse and healthy.

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