The Role of Gut Microbiota in Sarcopenia and Potential Probiotic Treatments
Sarcopenia, an age-related muscle disorder, increases the risk of adverse clinical outcomes, but current treatment options are limited. Recent research highlights the potential role of gut microbiota in sarcopenia. The study compared gut microbiota and metabolites in older adults with and without sarcopenia, followed by fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in mice to investigate causality. Specific probiotics, such as Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (LR) and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (FP), showed promise in enhancing muscle health and function in aged mice, primarily by improving mitochondrial activity and intestinal immune health.
Microbial Composition and Sarcopenia:
- Older adults with sarcopenia displayed distinct gut microbiota and metabolite profiles, including differences in Paraprevotella, Lachnospira, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and purine metabolites.
- FMT from sarcopenic donors to mice resulted in reduced muscle mass and strength in the recipients.
Probiotics and Muscle Health:
- Probiotics Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (LR) and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (FP) were positively associated with muscle health in older adults.
- In aged mice, these probiotics improved muscle mass, strength, and mitochondrial function.
Mechanisms of Action:
- Transcriptomics revealed enrichment of genes related to the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle after probiotic treatment.
- Metabolic analysis indicated increased TCA substrates in LR and FP supernatants.
- Probiotics enhanced mitochondrial density, ATP content, NAD+/NADH ratio, mitochondrial dynamics, and biogenesis proteins.
Additional Benefits:
- Tight junction proteins in the colon and intestinal immune health (e.g., reduced CD8+IFNγ+ T cells) were improved by LR and the combination of probiotics.
Conclusion:
- Gut microbiota dysbiosis contributes to sarcopenia, and probiotics targeting muscle health could be a promising therapeutic strategy.
- Further clinical studies are necessary to validate these findings in humans.
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