Narrative Review of Microbiome and Aging

Nabuuma Ruth Nambi

Department of Pharmacy Kampala International University Uganda

Email: nambi.nabuuma@studwc.kiu.ac.ug

ABSTRACT

The human microbiome, composed of trillions of bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses, is essential for maintaining metabolic, immune, and neurological homeostasis. With aging, the composition and function of microbial communities undergo profound changes, contributing to systemic inflammation, immune dysfunction, metabolic derangements, and neurodegeneration. Hallmarks of aging, including genomic instability, cellular senescence, and mitochondrial dysfunction, intersect with age-associated dysbiosis, exacerbating the onset and progression of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. Altered microbiota composition reduces resilience, impairs immune regulation, and disrupts gut–brain communication, fostering frailty and cognitive decline. Conversely, microbiome-targeted strategies, including probiotics, prebiotics, dietary interventions, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), demonstrate potential for restoring balance and promoting healthy aging. Advances in multi-omics and machine learning are improving mechanistic understanding and enabling personalized interventions, though challenges remain in standardization, reproducibility, and long-term efficacy. This review summarizes current insights into the bidirectional relationship between microbiome dynamics and aging, highlighting therapeutic opportunities and future research directions.

Keywords: Microbiome, Aging, Immunosenescence, Gut–brain axis, and Fecal microbiota transplantation.

CITE AS: Nabuuma Ruth Nambi (2025). Narrative Review of Microbiome and Aging. IDOSR JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCES 11(2): 48-58. https://doi.org/10.59298/IDOSR/JES/112.4858