Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Antonio Gramsci 14, 43126, Parma, Italy.
Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
Aging Clin Exp Res. 2024 Mar 6;36(1):58. doi: 10.1007/s40520-024-02707-9.
Age-related changes in intestinal microbiome composition and function are increasingly recognized as pivotal in the pathophysiology of aging and are associated with the aging phenotype. Diet is a major determinant of gut-microbiota composition throughout the entire lifespan, and several of the benefits of a healthy diet in aging could be mediated by the microbiome. Mediterranean diet (MD) is a traditional dietary pattern regarded as the healthy diet paradigm, and a large number of studies have demonstrated its benefits in promoting healthy aging. MD has also a positive modulatory effect on intestinal microbiome, favoring bacterial taxa involved in the synthesis of several bioactive compounds, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), that counteract inflammation, anabolic resistance, and tissue degeneration. Intervention studies conducted in older populations have suggested that the individual response of older subjects to MD, in terms of reduction of frailty scores and amelioration of cognitive function, is significantly mediated by the gut-microbiota composition and functionality. In this context, the pathophysiology of intestinal microbiome in aging should be considered when designing MD-based interventions tailored to the needs of geriatric patients.
肠道微生物组组成和功能的年龄相关性变化在衰老的病理生理学中越来越被认为是关键因素，并且与衰老表型相关。饮食是整个生命周期中肠道微生物组组成的主要决定因素，健康饮食在衰老过程中的许多益处可能是通过微生物组介导的。地中海饮食 (MD) 是一种传统的饮食模式，被认为是健康饮食的典范，大量研究表明它有助于促进健康衰老。MD 对肠道微生物组也有积极的调节作用，有利于参与合成几种生物活性化合物的细菌分类群，如短链脂肪酸 (SCFA)，这些化合物可以对抗炎症、合成抵抗和组织退化。在老年人中进行的干预研究表明，老年人对 MD 的个体反应，就虚弱评分的降低和认知功能的改善而言，是由肠道微生物组的组成和功能显著介导的。在这种情况下，在设计针对老年患者需求的基于 MD 的干预措施时，应考虑衰老过程中肠道微生物组的病理生理学。
