Microbiome and human aging (literature review)
Authors: Shyrobokov Volodymyr , Yankovskyi Dmytro , Dyment Halyna 
Published: June 2020

The review is devoted to the relations between human
microbiome and physiologic and pathologic processes an
aging organism. Last years, there were obtained many convincing
evidences of the huge microbiome influence on different processes
of the human organism functioning, including behavior and brain
biochemistry. Basing on these data, specialists consider the microbiome as an additional human organ that actively participates
in digestion, management of metabolic processes, maintenance
of epithelial barrier integrity, development and strengthening the
immune system and a number of other physiologic functions.
Therefore, it optimizes conditions for the normal vital activity
of the human organism on the whole.
Many scientists consider aging as a chronic inflammatory process
that is accompanied by unfavorable changes of the microbiome
structure and functional activity. In most cases, age-related
microbiome changes have negative influence on the health state,
since they result in disorders of functional activity of microbe
communities and failures of the metabolic chains that play the
important role in functioning of many organs. It is well known
that in elderly age, multiform interactions between the human
organism and associated microbe communities undergo complicated changes, which may lead to strong phenotypic consequences, including dysbiosis, infections, psychosomatic diseases and
general worsening of the organism functional state. It is assumed
that an in-depth study of these processes with the development
of age-related pathologies may facilitate the solution of many
geriatrics problems.
In the review, modern information is generalized that concerns
composition and functional activity of the microbiota in aged
people as well as the impact of the changed microbiome on disease development. There were analyzed research aimed at using
some means of microbiome improvement at different age-related
pathology. In the judgment of specialists, prevention of microbiome disturbances, beginning from young age, is one of most
important protective measures for improving quality of life of the
older population. In particular, there have been carried out many researches and their
results confirm the reasonability of using probiotics for improving
the state of health in elderly age. Probiotics were shown to beneficially influence the microbiome, general physical and mental state
and immune status in elderly people. It is believed that regular using
of probiotics favours maintaining homeostatic state of gut mucous
membrane and microbiota, which is a critical component of mode
of life aimed at longevity. Besides probiotics, perspective means for
improving microbiome of elderly people are prebiotics, products of
functional nutrition and enterosorbents. “Rejuvenation” of microbiome by virtue of wide using modern health-improving means might
be one of means for prevention diseases, premature aging and an
immense improvement of quality of life in advanced age.
Key words: microbiome, aging, metabolites, inflammation, dysbiosis, immunity, probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, enterosorbents.
For citation: Shyrobokov VP, Yankovskyi DS, Dyment HS.
Microbiome and human aging (literature review). Journal
of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine.
2019;25(4):463-75.