Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have identified clear links between the composition of gut bacteria and frailty in older women. In cases of high frailty, with an increased risk of illness and death, gut bacterial diversity is lower and function is impaired.
The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, is based on a population of 2,081 Swedish women aged 75–80. The study clearly demonstrates that frailty is linked to lower diversity and poorer functional capacity of the gut microbiota. These results are largely confirmed by an independent Chinese cohort comprising 1,448 older men and women.
Frailty is a common geriatric condition characterized by increased vulnerability to disease, falls, functional impairment, and death. The condition is associated with several factors, including physical and mental function as well as physiological changes. The study analyzed genetic material from the gut microbiota in relation to the degree of frailty and frailty-related clinical outcomes.
To measure frailty, the researchers used an internally developed and validated index: the Frailty Mortality Index (FMI). This index combines functional, physiological, and psychological dimensions linked to frailty and the risk of mortality.
Gut microbiota reflects frailty
The study shows that a higher FMI – indicating a higher estimated degree of frailty and risk of mortality – is associated with lower microbial diversity, fewer microbial genes, and lower predicted functional capacity within the gut microbiota. These microbial characteristics were, in turn, linked to physical function, mortality, and fall-related injuries.
The researchers identified a total of 404 bacterial species significantly associated with the FMI. Many of these associations were also observed in the Chinese cohort, suggesting that certain microbial signatures linked to frailty and mortality may be shared across different geographic and cultural settings.
“Our results show that the gut microbiota reflects key aspects of frailty in older adults. It is particularly interesting that several of the associations were replicated in an independent cohort from China, which reinforces the relevance of the findings,” says Marina Vilar Geraldi, a researcher at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg.
Understanding frailty and aging
The results may contribute to a better understanding of the biological processes underlying frailty and aging. In the long term, this knowledge could pave the way for new methods of identifying older individuals at increased risk of adverse health outcomes.
However, the researchers emphasize that the study demonstrates associations and that further research is needed to determine whether changes in the gut microbiota contribute to the development of frailty or could serve as targets for preventive interventions.
“Frailty is a complex condition, and our findings suggest that the gut microbiota may be an important part of the overall picture. The next step is to investigate whether these microbial patterns can aid in risk assessment or form the basis for future interventions,” says Mattias Lorentzon, Professor at the University of Gothenburg and Senior Consultant at Sahlgrenska University Hospital.
The study is based on data from the SUPERB cohort, comprising 2,081 Swedish women aged 75–80, as well as an independent Chinese cohort of 1,448 older adults.