A study conducted in China has shown that metabolic health can be characterized by the presence and abundance of certain microbes in the gut microbiome, which plays a role in various bodily processes, including digestion, nerve signaling, and immune response. Age is also associated with distinct characteristics in the microbiome, and individuals with microbiomes reflective of a younger age are less likely to experience cardiovascular disease. Researchers developed an age-related and metabolism-related microbial signature based on investigations in a large cohort of Chinese participants and verified it on another cohort. The impact of these signatures on cardiovascular disease risk was also analyzed, and the results were published in Nature Medicine.
The study initially classified participants into five “metabolic multimorbidity clusters” based on 21 metabolic parameters, each associated with varying cardiovascular disease risks. People in the obesity and hyperglycemia clusters were found to have significantly higher risks of developing cardiovascular disease compared to the healthy cluster. The gut microbiomes of individuals in different clusters shared certain characteristics, and the microbiomes of younger and older individuals also showed distinct differences. A gut microbial age metric was developed based on the presence of age-related microbial species and was associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk in younger individuals.
There is evidence from other studies suggesting that gut dysbiosis, an imbalance in gut bacterial populations, is linked to various inflammatory conditions and cardiovascular disease. The study’s findings align with this research, showing a correlation between poor gut microbiome health and an increased risk of morbidity-related conditions such as cardiovascular issues. While the study does not suggest the reversal of aging, it indicates that a healthy gut microbiome can help limit the impacts of aging on the body and improve health outcomes in individuals as they age.
The beneficial effects of maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, potentially through prebiotic and probiotic supplementation or more extreme measures like fecal transplantation, highlight the importance of microbial balance in promoting overall health. The microbiome’s role in influencing cardiovascular disease risk opens up the possibility of targeting the microbiome for preventive measures in older adults who may not be metabolically healthy. Further research is warranted to explore microbial variations among individuals in different countries and to investigate the relationship between dysbiosis and various cardiovascular risk factors.
While the exact causal relationship between gut dysbiosis and cardiovascular conditions remains unclear, evidence suggests that dysbiosis may contribute to the development of inflammatory conditions and cardiovascular disease. The study emphasizes the importance of understanding the role of the microbiome in overall health and disease prevention, particularly in relation to metabolic health and cardiovascular risk. By identifying microbial signatures associated with age and metabolism, researchers are paving the way for potential interventions that target the gut microbiome to enhance health outcomes and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
