UCLA researchers had already taken fruit flies, as their life spans are a short 8 weeks but age equivalent to human seniors and showed that days before they die their gut linings become more “leaky”. In a later study, they found that bacterial changes in the microbiome of the gut preceded the gut-increased permeability (leakiness or holes between epithelium). They were able to tweak the gut bacteria, reduce leaky changes, and even in older flies, prolong their life span.
“Age-onset decline is very tightly linked to changes within the community of gut microbes,” said David Walker, a UCLA professor of integrative biology and physiology, and senior author of the research.
Steps you can take: avoid antibiotics when possible, consume products from animals NOT fed antibiotics, eat mainly organic foods which preserve gut microbiome better than non-organic (Stanford study a few years back, see my older blog), eat sprouts, fermented foods, avoid excessive sugars & high gluten containing foods, etc.
You have control into the health of your gut bugs.
But your gut bugs are also in intimate link with your hormones. Test and balance if necessary.
Published: September 11, 2015.
Released by University of California – Los Angeles