Scientists Turn to the Gut for Clues on Slower Aging

Getting Older: Age is just a number, as the saying goes. And it’s true, to a point, for the human body: two people born in the same year can run on very different timelines (a concept scientists call biological aging). New research from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa suggests the trillions of bacteria in your gut may play a substantial role in that process.

The Study: Researchers analyzed stool and blood samples from 123 adults of varying ages. They also compared the bacteria in each person’s gut with a blood marker estimating how quickly the body ages. Gut bacteria explained about 15% of the variation in the aging pace among participants, and that link held up independently of chronological age. The strain Bifidobacterium adolescentis stood out as one of the strongest signals for slower aging.

The Takeaway: The exciting part is that your gut microbiome responds to everyday habits like what you eat and how active you are. So that makes it one aging factor you might actually have some control over.

Keep in Mind: The researchers call this study an early step in the right direction, but more work is needed before anyone knows if tweaking your gut can truly slow the clock.