Probiotics, the microbiome and getting older: what researchers are studying
Probiotics, the microbiome and getting older: what researchers are studying
Ageing happens to all of us and is nothing to be ashamed of. So what do the microbes living in us have to do with it?
Our gut is home to trillions of microbes – bacteria, yeasts and plenty more. This whole community is called the microbiome: everyone’s is different, and it changes with what we eat, how we live and how old we are. Probiotics are certain strains of live microbes, found in fermented foods such as yoghurt and kimchi, or in supplements. Lately, researchers around the world have become more and more interested in how the microbiome changes as we get older.
Here we look at 4 topics researchers are studying about the microbiome and getting older.
1. The microbiome and the food we eat
We’ve spoken before about probiotics and the microbiome. The microbes in our gut work on the food we eat every day – especially fibre, which our bodies can’t break down on their own but which some microbes can ferment. Researchers are studying how people’s microbiomes differ, and how that relates to the way the body uses food. This research is still at an early stage and the results are mixed, so we’ll just say that it’s being studied and leave it there.
2. The microbiome and the liver: another topic researchers are interested in
The liver is an organ that works hard every day, and it’s another part of us that changes with age.
Researchers are studying the link between the gut and the liver, known as the gut–liver axis. But most of the research on this topic so far has been done in specific groups of patients or in animals, so it’s too early to draw any conclusions for the general public.
3. The microbiome and skin
Our skin faces sun, dust, smoke and other pollution every day, and it’s perfectly normal for it to change gradually with age.
Researchers have started looking at the link between the gut and the skin (the gut–skin axis), and some small studies have given participants certain probiotic strains. But the results depend on the strain and a lot more research is needed, so we don’t want to say more than the evidence does.
4. Hair, nails and protein
Alongside our skin, hair and nails are one of the first places where age can really show.
Nails are made up mostly of protein (called keratin), and the body makes protein from the amino acids in the food we eat.
Our hair, meanwhile, grows from follicles in our scalp, which get nutrients via the small blood vessels around them.
Every serving of our Organic Plant-Based Protein contains 1bn CFU of Bacillus coagulans – a spore-forming probiotic. Spores are a tough, dormant state that suits dry powders and a long shelf life, which is why we chose it for a powder like ours.
These are 4 of the topics researchers are studying about the microbiome and getting older.
