[WS2-3] Strategy for health and longevity based on the gut microbiota
To date, Japan has entered a super-aging society; the number of people aged 65 years and above is estimated to grow over 30% in the near future. The gut microbiota is closely associated with one’s health conditions, including disease development. However, since inter-individual variations in gut microbiota composition are observed even among healthy populations, it is important to comprehend the characteristics of healthy gut microbiota and its determinants for the maintenance of our health. We have conducted several studies in outlining the major factors related to the gut microbial community structure and found that the aging is one of the main determinants. Nevertheless, it is interesting to note that certain proportion of the subjects have age-mismatched gut microbiota. Here, we would like to introduce our recent study to address the question which microbiota is beneficial for human health by comparison of fecal microbiota and metabolites between healthy elderly subjects who had an age-matched or age-mismatched gut microbiota. Topics will also cover our recent investigation on the potential of probiotic Bifidobacterium strain in improving cognitive functions of suspected mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subjects. We believe that our efforts based on the gut microbiota studies could contribute to a super-aged society in the world-wide.