Longevity & AgingHow Your Gut Microbiome Shapes Aging and What You Can Eat to Fix It
As we age, gut microbial diversity declines, fueling chronic low-grade inflammation — a process called inflammaging — that drives cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and neurodegeneration. This 2025 review examines how specific dietary strategies can reshape the gut microbiome to counteract these effects. Key nutrients including dietary fiber, polyphenols, plant-based proteins, and fermented foods promote beneficial microbes and the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which reduce systemic inflammation. Prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics emerge as practical tools for restoring microbial balance. The authors highlight significant promise but also note that individual microbiome variability, limited large-scale human trials, and accessibility barriers still challenge clinical translation.
