Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Emerges as a Novel Strategy to Combat Aging
In their recent paper published in H Life (Elsevier), Yan et al. reviewed recent Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) progress, exploring effects on aging. They discussed potential mechanisms and challenges of FMT, highlighting its potential to enhance aging-related health outcomes.
FMT is emerging as a groundbreaking strategy to combat aging. The gut microbiota, a diverse community of microorganisms residing in the gastrointestinal tract, plays a pivotal role in regulating host immunity, metabolism, and neurological health, exerting a profound influence on the entire organism.
- Aging and Dysbiosis: Age-related changes lead to dysbiosis—an imbalance in gut microbiota.
- Restoring Balance: FMT, transferring beneficial microbes from a healthy donor to recipients with disrupted microbiota, shows promise in restoring balance.
- Youthful Impact: Studies indicate FMT from young donors yields more significant benefits than from aged donors.
- Across Organs: FMT holds potential to ameliorate aging-associated impairments across diverse organs.
While FMT technology shows promise in delaying host aging, addressing challenges, including donor selection considerations, defining transplantation protocols, and ensuring safety in elderly recipients, is crucial before human application, and despite progress in mice, overcoming clinical difficulties remains necessary to fully harness the potential of FMT technology in promoting healthy aging and improving overall healthspan.
Photo credits: Yan et al. hLife November 2023
International Society of Microbiota
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