Changes in the Microbiota Composition and Function in Relation to Aging

Abstract

Aging is a normal fact of life and starts from birth, as a maturation process. Together with this physical and mental maturation, changes in lifestyle, diet and health status occur. It is therefore not surprising that the microbiota changes as well. What is cause and effect in this relation is not always clear. There are, however, major changes in the microbiota. There has been much focus on the changes in intestinal microbiota composition, but also other microbiota evolves as we age. These changes may have far reaching effects as far as the intestinal microbiota is concerned. The research is complicated by differences in microbiota composition between various cohorts of seniors. This is not surprising as similar compositional variations are observed between cohorts of younger adults and are influenced by diet, lifestyle, ethnicity and geography. Therefore, it is difficult to come to general conclusions with regard to microbiota composition with age. Microbiota functionality changes seem to be more consistent with several synthesis pathways and degradation pathways being reduced with an increasing age.