It has been found that microorganisms in the gut may change the aging process of the body

Recently, scientists from Nanyang University of technology and other institutions have found that microorganisms living in the gut can change the aging process of the body, which may help researchers develop new food based therapies to slow down the aging of the body A related study was published in the international journal Science Translation internal medicine In this study, the researchers transplanted the intestinal microorganisms of the old mice (24 months old) into the young, sterile mice (6 weeks old) Eight weeks later, the researchers found that the growth of intestinal tract in the young mice increased, and neurons (neurogenesis) were also produced in the brain The researchers believe that the increase in neurogenesis may be due to the enrichment of special intestinal microorganisms, which can produce special butyric acid Butyric acid is produced by microbial fermentation of dietary fiber in the lower digestive tract It can stimulate the production of longevity promoting hormone named FGF21 FGF21 plays a key role in regulating energy and metabolism of the body With the increase of age, the production of butyric acid will decrease The researchers found that administration of butyric acid alone to sterile mice also produced the same neurogenic effects as in adult mice In addition, the researchers conducted in-depth analysis (http:// After transplanting the intestinal microorganism from the old mice to the young mice, it has an effect on the digestive system function of the young mice With the increase of age, the activity of the small intestinal cells will decrease, which is directly related to the decrease of intestinal mucus production, which will make the intestinal cells more sensitive to damage and cell death However, the addition of butyric acid may help regulate the function of intestinal barrier and reduce the risk of inflammation The researchers found that mice receiving microorganisms from adult donor mice increased the length and width of their small intestinal villi, and that the small intestine and colon in the elderly / adult mice tended to be longer than those in the young sterile mice Relevant research results show that intestinal microorganisms can compensate and support aging through active stimulation.