Intestinal microbiota: a new perspective on delaying aging?

Yuemeng Zhang; Xiaomei Wang; Wujuan Li; Yi Yang; Zhuoxuan Wu; Yuhong Lyu; Changwu Yue

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2023.1268142

Intestinal microbiota: a new perspective on delaying aging?

Front Microbiol. 2023 Nov 30:14:1268142. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1268142. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Yuemeng Zhang^#¹, Xiaomei Wang^#², Wujuan Li¹, Yi Yang¹, Zhuoxuan Wu¹, Yuhong Lyu¹, Changwu Yue¹

Affiliations

¹ Yan'an Key Laboratory of Microbial Drug Innovation and Transformation, School of Basic Medicine, Yan'an University, Yan'an, Shaanxi, China.
² Yan'an University of Physical Education, Yan'an University, Yan'an, Shaanxi, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

The global aging situation is severe, and the medical pressures associated with aging issues should not be underestimated. The need and feasibility of studying aging and intervening in aging have been confirmed. Aging is a complex natural physiological progression, which involves the irreversible deterioration of body cells, tissues, and organs with age, leading to enhanced risk of disease and ultimately death. The intestinal microbiota has a significant role in sustaining host dynamic balance, and the study of bidirectional communication networks such as the brain-gut axis provides important directions for human disease research. Moreover, the intestinal microbiota is intimately linked to aging. This review describes the intestinal microbiota changes in human aging and analyzes the causal controversy between gut microbiota changes and aging, which are believed to be mutually causal, mutually reinforcing, and inextricably linked. Finally, from an anti-aging perspective, this study summarizes how to achieve delayed aging by targeting the intestinal microbiota. Accordingly, the study aims to provide guidance for further research on the intestinal microbiota and aging.

Keywords: aging; correlation; delay aging; intervention; intestinal microbiota.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was partly supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 82060654) and the Shaanxi Fundamental Science Research Project for Chemistry & Biology (Grant No. 22JHZ008).