The Gut Microbiota as a Master Regulator of Health span and Longevity: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential

Aging is a complex biological process regulated by genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors, with gut microbiota has recognized as a key determinant of health span and longevity. The present review integrates recent information from animal and human studies to describe the role of gut microbiota in the process of aging and its association with age-related deficit. A comprehensive search was conducted, underlying the mechanisms of microbial dysbiosis associated with "inflammaging," impaired gut barrier function, and disrupted host-microbe communication. This analysis demonstrates that loss of microbial diversity and shifts in microbial composition are hallmarks of aging that contribute to chronic inflammation and age-related disorders. Conversely, a healthy and diverse microbiota, as seen in long-lived individuals, is associated with improved metabolic and cognitive function. The review also examines current and emerging therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating the gut microbiome to facilitate healthy aging, including diets, prebiotics, probiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). Lastly, the potential of personalized microbiome medicine and the development of next-generation probiotics are also viewed as promising avenues to increase health span and quality of life in the elderly. This review provides a general overview to find the pivotal status of the microbiome in biology of aging and its therapeutic value as an age-related physiological decline target.