Low Grade Inflammation, Gut Microbiota and Barrier Function in Elderly Humans

The Inflammaging Network: Bridging Low Grade Inflammation With Gut Microbiota and Intestinal Barrier Function in Elderly Humans

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the main cause of death in the European Union. A large part of the aging process, including immunosenescence, is explained by an imbalance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory networks, wich results in the low grade chronic pro-inflammatory status termed inflammaging. It can contribute to a number of age-related chronic diseases (e.g. atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer disease, osteoporosis). Prevention or delay in onset of chronic diseases can potentially benefit a large segment of the elderly population. Now it is hypothesised that a probiotic drink can reduce low-grade inflammation through improvement of the gut barrier function and gut microbiota composition in elderly people with low-grade inflammation.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the main cause of death in the European Union. A large part of the aging process, including immunosenescence, is explained by an imbalance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory networks, wich results in the low grade chronic pro-inflammatory status termed inflammaging. It can contribute to a number of age-related chronic diseases (e.g. atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer disease, osteoporosis). Prevention or delay in onset of chronic diseases can potentially benefit a large segment of the elderly population. Now it is hypothesised that a probiotic drink can reduce low-grade inflammation through improvement of the gut barrier function and gut microbiota composition in elderly people with low-grade inflammation.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Men >65 years of age.
• Body mass index: 22-34,9 kg/m²
• non-smokers

Intervention trial:

• hsCRP > 1 mg/L (Screening blood test)
• normal blood count (Screening blood test)
• normal ALAT, ASAT and serum creatinine levels (Screening blood test)

Exclusion Criteria:

• any major non-organic disease, including malign diseases (haematological, inflammatory, metabolic,)
• any major organ disease, including neoplastic diseases.
• intake of antibiotics within the last 6 weeks
• chronic therapy with analgetics (incl. acetylsalicylic acid)
• chronic therapy with proton pump inhibitors
• regular intake of probiotic bacteria products within the last 3 weeks
• chronic anti-inflammatory therapy with NSARs or previous therapy within the last 20 days
• subjects with expected non-compliance to protocol guidelines
• subjects that participate in other trials