Page 196 - Petelin, Ana. 2021. Ed. Zdravje starostnikov / Health of the Elderly. Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
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avje starostnikov | health of the elderly 194 whole body serotonin, a metabolite that regulates cognitive functions (Shimi-
zu, 2018). Studies show reduced microbial diversity and a decrease in Firmi-
cutes and Bifidobacterium, as well as an increase in Bacteroidetes and Proteo-
bacteria in AD patients (Pluta et al., 2020; Rinninella et al., 2019). Changes in
gut microbial composition and diversity are associated with biological or func-
tional age. Gut microbial diversity inversely correlates with biological age, but
not with chronological age. Transfer of the gut microbiota from old to young
germ-free mice triggers inflammatory responses mimicking “inflammaging”
(Kim and Jazwinski, 2018).
Unhealthy dietary patterns, drugs, reactive oxygen species (ROS), psy-
chological stress and other pro-inflammatory factors contribute to gut dysbio-
sis and are linked to development of various pathologies. Gut dysbiosis due to
antibiotics or a high-fat or high-carbohydrate diet is associated with metabolic
disorders (Kim and Jazwinski, 2018). Diet is a controllable environmental fac-
tor that influences gut microbiota composition (Claesson et al., 2012) and has
been shown to be involved in the development of AD (Pluta et al., 2020). Nu-
tritional strategies aiming at microbiota and immune modulation in the elder-
ly are especially relevant due to their higher susceptibility to disease, malnutri-
tion, impairment of the gut microbiota and a pro-inflammatory status of the
immune system (Salazar et al., 2017).
The Mediterranean diet (MD) involves a high intake of legumes, olive
oil, fruits, nuts, vegetables and whole grains, moderate intake of fish, wine and
dairy and a low intake of red meat, processed meat and sugar. Greater adher-
ence to MD was associated with a reduced risk of developing AD (Botchway
et al., 2018). Healthy dietary patterns with high probiotic and prebiotic intake,
along with other nutrients, may delay cognitive decline (Angelucci et al., 2019).
Probiotics are bacteria that are beneficial for host’s health if consumed in ade-
quate quantities, while prebiotics are fibre substances that act as food for these
bacteria. The consumption of fermented milk product with probiotics not on-
ly affected normal brain activity, but also caused significant cognitive improve-
ment in patients with AD (Pluta et al., 2020). A two week dietary intervention
in elderly women with obesity improved the metabolic profile and reversed
gut microbiota dysbiosis towards a profile associated with metabolic health.
A combined use of balanced Mediterranean diet and probiotics could induce
beneficial effects on the gut microbiota and metabolic profile (Cancello et al.,
2019). The role of prebiotics and diet in modulating AD will need to be estab-
lished more in the future (Leblhuber et al., 2018). In healthy older adults, pro-
biotics promote mental flexibility and alleviate stress, along with changes in
gut microbiota (Kim et al., 2021). An intervention with probiotic milk positive-
ly affected cognitive function and some metabolic markers (Akbari et al., 2016)
and a multispecies probiotic influenced gut microbiota composition and tryp-
tophan metabolism in AD patients (Leblhuber et al., 2018). A recent systemat-
ic review and meta-analysis showed that probiotics intervention improved gen-
eral cognitive function, inflammatory profile, cellular biomarkers regulation
zu, 2018). Studies show reduced microbial diversity and a decrease in Firmi-
cutes and Bifidobacterium, as well as an increase in Bacteroidetes and Proteo-
bacteria in AD patients (Pluta et al., 2020; Rinninella et al., 2019). Changes in
gut microbial composition and diversity are associated with biological or func-
tional age. Gut microbial diversity inversely correlates with biological age, but
not with chronological age. Transfer of the gut microbiota from old to young
germ-free mice triggers inflammatory responses mimicking “inflammaging”
(Kim and Jazwinski, 2018).
Unhealthy dietary patterns, drugs, reactive oxygen species (ROS), psy-
chological stress and other pro-inflammatory factors contribute to gut dysbio-
sis and are linked to development of various pathologies. Gut dysbiosis due to
antibiotics or a high-fat or high-carbohydrate diet is associated with metabolic
disorders (Kim and Jazwinski, 2018). Diet is a controllable environmental fac-
tor that influences gut microbiota composition (Claesson et al., 2012) and has
been shown to be involved in the development of AD (Pluta et al., 2020). Nu-
tritional strategies aiming at microbiota and immune modulation in the elder-
ly are especially relevant due to their higher susceptibility to disease, malnutri-
tion, impairment of the gut microbiota and a pro-inflammatory status of the
immune system (Salazar et al., 2017).
The Mediterranean diet (MD) involves a high intake of legumes, olive
oil, fruits, nuts, vegetables and whole grains, moderate intake of fish, wine and
dairy and a low intake of red meat, processed meat and sugar. Greater adher-
ence to MD was associated with a reduced risk of developing AD (Botchway
et al., 2018). Healthy dietary patterns with high probiotic and prebiotic intake,
along with other nutrients, may delay cognitive decline (Angelucci et al., 2019).
Probiotics are bacteria that are beneficial for host’s health if consumed in ade-
quate quantities, while prebiotics are fibre substances that act as food for these
bacteria. The consumption of fermented milk product with probiotics not on-
ly affected normal brain activity, but also caused significant cognitive improve-
ment in patients with AD (Pluta et al., 2020). A two week dietary intervention
in elderly women with obesity improved the metabolic profile and reversed
gut microbiota dysbiosis towards a profile associated with metabolic health.
A combined use of balanced Mediterranean diet and probiotics could induce
beneficial effects on the gut microbiota and metabolic profile (Cancello et al.,
2019). The role of prebiotics and diet in modulating AD will need to be estab-
lished more in the future (Leblhuber et al., 2018). In healthy older adults, pro-
biotics promote mental flexibility and alleviate stress, along with changes in
gut microbiota (Kim et al., 2021). An intervention with probiotic milk positive-
ly affected cognitive function and some metabolic markers (Akbari et al., 2016)
and a multispecies probiotic influenced gut microbiota composition and tryp-
tophan metabolism in AD patients (Leblhuber et al., 2018). A recent systemat-
ic review and meta-analysis showed that probiotics intervention improved gen-
eral cognitive function, inflammatory profile, cellular biomarkers regulation
