Measurements of metabolic health are vital in evaluating the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Researchers in China have found that metabolic health can be characterized by certain microbes in the gut microbiome. Age also plays a role in the microbiome, with people having microbiomes associated with younger metrics being less likely to experience cardiovascular disease. These findings were validated across Chinese, European, and American cohorts. Scientists have been able to characterize the relationship between age, metabolism, and the microbiome, developing an age-related and metabolism-related microbial signature based on data from over 10,000 Chinese individuals. This research was published in Nature Medicine.
The gut microbiome, consisting of bacteria, viruses, and other microbes, not only aids in digestion but also plays a role in other bodily processes such as nerve signaling, immune response, and hormone regulation. Changes in the microbiome can lead to alterations in various bodily functions, affecting overall health and disease risk. The production of metabolites, modulation of inflammation and immune responses, alteration of lipid and glucose metabolism, regulation of blood pressure, and cholesterol absorption are just some of the ways the microbiome can impact cardiovascular disease risk.
Researchers categorized individuals in a cohort of 10,207 Chinese participants into five metabolic multimorbidity clusters based on 21 metabolic parameters. Those in the unhealthy clusters, such as the obesity and hyperglycemia clusters, were significantly more likely to develop cardiovascular disease compared to those in the healthy clusters. Subsequent validation of these results in a cohort of 9,061 individuals further confirmed the link between metabolic health clusters and cardiovascular risk. Analyzing the gut microbiome of a subset of participants revealed overlapping characteristics in those categorized in specific metabolic health clusters.
Further analysis of the gut microbiome showed distinct microbial species present in younger and older individuals, leading to the development of a gut microbial age metric. Younger microbiomes were associated with lower levels of certain species, while older microbiomes had higher levels of specific species. The study authors also highlighted a variation in microbial composition among individuals in different countries, suggesting potential for further investigation. A younger microbial age was found to be associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk, suggesting that targeting the microbiome could be a preventative measure in older adults who are not metabolically healthy.
RDN Catherine Rall, who was not involved in the research, emphasized the importance of maintaining a healthy gut microbiome in reducing the risks of cardiovascular issues as individuals age. While microbiome health can correlate with biological age, she noted that the gut microbiome is highly changeable and can be influenced through supplements like prebiotics and probiotics. While the research doesn’t claim to reverse aging, it does suggest that improving gut microbiome health can lead to better health outcomes as individuals age.
The study findings are supported by other research linking gut dysbiosis to inflammatory conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and cardiovascular disease. Gut dysbiosis has also been associated with various cardiovascular risk factors including atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart failure, kidney disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. However, the question remains whether dysbiosis causes these conditions or if these conditions cause dysbiosis. Further research is needed to explore these connections and potential interventions to improve metabolic health and reduce cardiovascular disease risk.
