Longevity & AgingScientists Map 661 Gut Microbes Linked to Heart and Metabolic Health in 34,000 People
Researchers analyzed gut microbiome data from over 34,000 US and UK adults alongside detailed dietary, anthropometric, and clinical health markers. Using metagenomics and machine learning, they identified 661 microbial species and ranked them by their association with cardiometabolic health outcomes. The resulting 'ZOE Microbiome Health Ranking 2025' distinguished favourably and unfavourably associated species reproducibly across five independent cohorts. The ranking was validated in over 7,800 public samples and two dietary intervention trials, where healthier-ranked species increased after dietary improvements. Most top-ranked species belong to the Firmicutes phylum, particularly Clostridia. The study underscores the gut microbiome's role as a modifiable link between diet and metabolic disease, while cautioning that causal conclusions require prospective and interventional studies.
