- Researchers examined the microbiomes of centenarians from Japan and Sardinia.
- They found that centenarians have more diverse bacteria and viruses in their gut than their younger counterparts.
- The findings indicate that improving gut bacteria and virus diversity could increase healthy longevity.
The human
Research also suggests that the gut microbiome plays a crucial role in the aging process. For example,
While gut bacteria are well known for their influence on overall health, fewer
Some studies show that viruses known as bacteriophages bind to bacteria in the gut, and affect their activity. In some cases, they may improve bacterial function by
As centenarians have decreased susceptibility to age-related diseases and infections compared to younger individuals, understanding more about what makes their microbiomes unique could aid the development of strategies that promote healthy aging.
Recently, researchers compared the gut virome of Japanese centenarians with that of younger adults aged 18 years and over, and older adults aged 60 years and over.
They found that centenarians had more diverse viromes than younger people in the study. The study was published in
Dr. J. Wes Ulm, a bioinformatic scientific resource analyst, and biomedical data specialist at the National Institutes of Health, not involved in the study, told Medical News Today:
“Remarkably, it was found that many of the centenarians actually had a much more effectively health-promoting microbiome and virome status than some younger…
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