Gut Microbiome Pattern Reflects Healthy Aging and Predicts Extended Survival in Humans

The gut microbiome has important effects on human health, yet its importance in human aging remains unclear. Here we demonstrate that, starting in mid-to-late adulthood, gut microbiomes become increasingly unique with age. At the latest stages of lifespan, two distinct patterns emerge wherein individuals in good health show continued microbial drift toward a unique compositional state, while the same drift is absent in individuals who perform worse on a number of validated health measures. The identified healthy aging pattern is characterized by depletion of the most dominant genus Bacteroides. Consistently, retaining a high Bacteroides dominance into extreme age predicts decreased survival. Our comprehensive analysis identifies the gut microbiome as a novel component of healthy aging, with important implications for the world9s growing older population.