Modifying the gut microbiome through diet: effects on the immune system of elderly subjects
Modifying the gut microbiome through diet: effects on the immune system of elderly subjects
The human gut microbiome is highly variable among individuals, and is known to be influenced by numerous environmental and host factors. The gut microbiome is modified by diet and shows changes with ageing. The gut microbiome is believed to interact with the host’s immune system. Thus, there is interest in whether dietary probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics might benefit immune function in older adults, acting through modified gut microbiota to prevent or slow the changes associated with immunosenescence. Here the available evidence from human studies of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics and immune function in older adults is reviewed. There is good evidence that probiotics can improve in vivo and ex vivo measures of immune function in older adults. Further research is required before conclusions can be made regarding the role that prebiotics or synbiotics may have on immune function in the elderly. Future studies will need to ensure that the gut microbiome and immune markers relevant to immunosenescence are fully evaluated in robust study designs in order to have greater confidence in the application of these interventions, ensuring that the potential translational value of research in this field is realised.
Childs, Caroline E.
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Calder, Philip C.
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Childs, Caroline E.
ea17ccc1-2eac-4f67-96c7-a0c4d9dfd9c5
Calder, Philip C.
1797e54f-378e-4dcb-80a4-3e30018f07a6
Childs, Caroline E. and Calder, Philip C.
(2017)
Modifying the gut microbiome through diet: effects on the immune system of elderly subjects.
In,
Fulop, Tamas, Franceschi, Claudio, Hirokawa, Katsuiku and Pawelec, Graham
(eds.)
Handbook of Immunosenescence.
Cham.
Springer.
(doi:10.1007/978-3-319-64597-1_160-1).
Record type:
Book Section
Abstract
The human gut microbiome is highly variable among individuals, and is known to be influenced by numerous environmental and host factors. The gut microbiome is modified by diet and shows changes with ageing. The gut microbiome is believed to interact with the host’s immune system. Thus, there is interest in whether dietary probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics might benefit immune function in older adults, acting through modified gut microbiota to prevent or slow the changes associated with immunosenescence. Here the available evidence from human studies of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics and immune function in older adults is reviewed. There is good evidence that probiotics can improve in vivo and ex vivo measures of immune function in older adults. Further research is required before conclusions can be made regarding the role that prebiotics or synbiotics may have on immune function in the elderly. Future studies will need to ensure that the gut microbiome and immune markers relevant to immunosenescence are fully evaluated in robust study designs in order to have greater confidence in the application of these interventions, ensuring that the potential translational value of research in this field is realised.
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More information
Accepted/In Press date: 4 October 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 4 October 2017
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 419513
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/419513
PURE UUID: 6fbbcdca-6263-49e2-bac9-cad0f18c05ea
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Date deposited: 13 Apr 2018 16:30
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:58
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Contributors
Editor:
Tamas Fulop
Editor:
Claudio Franceschi
Editor:
Katsuiku Hirokawa
Editor:
Graham Pawelec
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