Two newly published studies are offering novel insights into the relationship between our diets, gut microbiome, and general health. One study is suggesting a Mediterranean diet can reconfigure gut bacteria to promote healthy aging, while a second study reveals plant-based diets can reduce gut microbe production of a metabolite linked to heart disease.
Our gut microbiome, much like the rest of our body, changes distinctly as we age. Prior research has found poor diets in older subjects are linked to less diverse gut microbiomes and more rapid signs of frailty and aging. In one new study an international team of researchers set out to investigate whether a Mediterranean diet, sustained for 12 months, altered an older microbiome and improved biomarkers associated with healthy aging.
Over 600 subjects were studied, aged between 65 and 79. Half of the cohort continued on their normal diet, while the other half followed a form of […]