While many would like to discover the fountain of youth, the secret to aging gracefully might lie, in part, in our gut.

Although researchers now know that the gut microbiome changes as humans age and that age-related diseases may also affect the gut microbiome, how targeting the gut microbiome may lead to healthier aging or reduce the risk of age-related diseases it is still unknown. Besides genetics, diet and other lifestyle factors such as medication use and social interactions, the gut microbiome may therefore be a key factor in healthy aging.