Younger Gut Microbiota Lowers Cardiovascular Risk in Older Adults

Researchers found gut microbiota signatures and created a microbial age meter in a recent study that was published in the journal Nature Medicine. The study demonstrated how lower microbial age may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in older persons who are metabolically unwell.

Context
Age and metabolism are linked and play a major role in cardiovascular disease (CVD), the world’s leading cause of death. By absorbing environmental cues, interacting with host metabolism, and evolving with age, gut microbiota may have an impact on healthy aging. However, due to a lack of well-defined microbial phenotypes and a paucity of longitudinal data, the role of gut microbiota in long-term CVD risk amid aging and suboptimal metabolism is little understood. This hasn’t been extensively studied in metagenomic investigations within a single community. To further understand this interaction and create focused interventions to improve cardiovascular health and encourage healthy aging, more study is required.

Concerning the study
Based on 21 variables, including glucose, lipid parameters, insulin sensitivity, beta cell function, blood pressure, liver and kidney function biomarkers, and obesity-related measurements, researchers created five metabolic multimorbidity clusters (MCs) in this study among a discovery cohort of 10,207 Chinese people. The metabolically healthy cluster was represented by MC1, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were found in MC2, high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were found in MC3, obesity-related characteristics were seen in MC4, and hyperglycemia was observed in MC5. In comparison to MC1, MC4 and MC5 showed 75% and 117% increased incident CVD risk, respectively, throughout an 11.1-year follow-up. These groups and associated CVD risks were confirmed in a separate sample of 9,061 Chinese people who had a follow-up of ten years.

After controlling for confounders including oral medications, gut microbial metagenomes from a subcohort of 4,491 people with a 6.8-year follow-up were examined. These revealed different gut microbial compositions linked to older age and poor metabolism (MC4 and MC5). Using 55 species that are specific to age, a gut microbial age metric was created to measure biological age. It was then verified using four external cross-sectional datasets that included 4,425 metagenomic samples from six different nations.

In both MC4 and MC5, a low microbial age—defined by a decreased Prevotella copri abundance—reduced the risk of CVD in people 60 years of age and older, regardless of their chronological age, sex, level of education, way of life, food habits, or use of medications. This indicates that in older individuals with metabolic disorders, the impact of microbiological age on cardiovascular health may be modulated.

Study findings

The study’s extensive methodology made it possible to thoroughly examine gut microbiota profiles in the context of metabolic multimorbidity and aging. The study successfully emphasized the important role of gut microbial age in modifying long-term CVD risk linked with suboptimal metabolism in older persons by strict control of potential confounders and extensive validations of findings. According to the findings, a younger microbial age—defined by a lower abundance of Prevotella copri—can successfully mitigate the elevated cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk associated with metabolic abnormalities, regardless of characteristics such as age, sex, educational attainment, lifestyle, food habits, and medication use.

This finding reveals the potential of the recently created gut microbial age meter to guide the implementation of microbiota-directed therapies to support healthy aging and lower the risk of CVD in older populations with metabolic disorders. The results imply that improving cardiovascular health and longevity in older persons may be achieved by focusing on the gut microbiota to maintain a younger microbial age.

By highlighting the significance of gut microbiota in relation to aging and metabolic health, the study opens the door for novel strategies to control and reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease in the elderly. One potential avenue to improve general health and well-being in aging populations is the potential for microbiota-directed therapies.

In conclusion
The study comes to the conclusion that in older persons with metabolic disorders, gut microbial age significantly influences the risk of CVD. Reducing the abundance of Prevotella copri indicates a younger microbial age, which, regardless of age, also significantly reduces the elevated risk of CVD linked to an unhealthy metabolism. This finding emphasizes how therapies focused on the microbiome may enhance cardiovascular health and encourage healthy aging.

For more information: Gut microbial age modulates cardiovascular disease risk in metabolically unhealthy older people, Nature Medicine, DOI – 10.1038/s41591-024-03058-8