Assessing the gut microbiota composition in older adults: connections to physical activity and healthy ageing
Assessing the gut microbiota composition in older adults: connections to physical activity and healthy ageing
The composition and functionality of the gut microbiota (GM) changes throughout the life course. As we move into older age, it starts to shift towards a less healthy one, which may lead to an imbalance in the GM community. Strategies that can reverse age-related dysbiosis are an important part of healthy aging. Little is known about the GM composition of older adults with different physical activity (PA) levels and whether it might contribute to healthy ageing. The aim of this study was to compare the GM composition of older adults with different PA levels and assess if it is associated with healthy ageing. 101 participants aged between 65–85 years undertook anthropometric measures, a 6-min walking test, wore an accelerometer for 7 days and provided a faecal sample. Faecal GM composition was analysed using 16S rRNA sequencing. We found that those who fulfilled the WHO/UK PA recommendations had higher relative abundance of several health-related bacteria such as Lactobacillus, F. prausnitzii and Roseburia intestinalis and lower abundance of disease-associated bacteria such as D.piger or Enterobacterales when compared to those who did not reach PA recommendations. These findings suggest that PA might improve the GM composition and has the potential to, at least partially, revert age-associated dysbiosis and promote healthy ageing.
Ageing, Elderly, Exercise, Gut microbiome, Gut microbiota, Healthy ageing, Older adults, Physical activity
6039-6063
Ramos, Catarina
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Magistro, Daniele
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Walton, Gemma E.
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Whitham, Anya
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Camp, Nicola
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Poveda, Carlos
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Gibson, Glenn R.
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Hough, John
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Kinnear, Will
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Hunter, Kirsty
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17 March 2025
Ramos, Catarina
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Magistro, Daniele
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Walton, Gemma E.
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Whitham, Anya
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Camp, Nicola
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Poveda, Carlos
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Gibson, Glenn R.
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Hough, John
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Kinnear, Will
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Hunter, Kirsty
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Ramos, Catarina, Magistro, Daniele, Walton, Gemma E., Whitham, Anya, Camp, Nicola, Poveda, Carlos, Gibson, Glenn R., Hough, John, Kinnear, Will and Hunter, Kirsty
(2025)
Assessing the gut microbiota composition in older adults: connections to physical activity and healthy ageing.
GeroScience, 47 (4), .
(doi:10.1007/s11357-025-01605-w).
Abstract
The composition and functionality of the gut microbiota (GM) changes throughout the life course. As we move into older age, it starts to shift towards a less healthy one, which may lead to an imbalance in the GM community. Strategies that can reverse age-related dysbiosis are an important part of healthy aging. Little is known about the GM composition of older adults with different physical activity (PA) levels and whether it might contribute to healthy ageing. The aim of this study was to compare the GM composition of older adults with different PA levels and assess if it is associated with healthy ageing. 101 participants aged between 65–85 years undertook anthropometric measures, a 6-min walking test, wore an accelerometer for 7 days and provided a faecal sample. Faecal GM composition was analysed using 16S rRNA sequencing. We found that those who fulfilled the WHO/UK PA recommendations had higher relative abundance of several health-related bacteria such as Lactobacillus, F. prausnitzii and Roseburia intestinalis and lower abundance of disease-associated bacteria such as D.piger or Enterobacterales when compared to those who did not reach PA recommendations. These findings suggest that PA might improve the GM composition and has the potential to, at least partially, revert age-associated dysbiosis and promote healthy ageing.
Text
s11357-025-01605-w
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Accepted/In Press date: 5 March 2025
Published date: 17 March 2025
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Publisher Copyright:
© Crown 2025.
Keywords:
Ageing, Elderly, Exercise, Gut microbiome, Gut microbiota, Healthy ageing, Older adults, Physical activity
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 505945
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/505945
ISSN: 2509-2723
PURE UUID: eb9b4779-1f1a-4867-ab57-bd761735efd1
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Date deposited: 23 Oct 2025 17:06
Last modified: 24 Oct 2025 02:14
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Contributors
Author:
Catarina Ramos
Author:
Daniele Magistro
Author:
Gemma E. Walton
Author:
Anya Whitham
Author:
Nicola Camp
Author:
Carlos Poveda
Author:
Glenn R. Gibson
Author:
John Hough
Author:
Will Kinnear
Author:
Kirsty Hunter
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