Differential effects of the soluble fiber inulin in reducing adiposity and altering gut microbiome in aging mice.

Inulin, a soluble dietary fiber, is thought to exert multiple beneficiary effects through promoting growth of bacteria that metabolize the fiber to short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs); however, the effect and efficacy of inulin in aging subjects is unknown. This study aims to systematically evaluate the capacity of SCFAs production and host response in mice of different ages. Male C57BL/6J mice across young (5 months), middle (11 months) and old (26 months) age were subjected to a control diet for 2 weeks, followed by 6 weeks of inulin-containing diet.

Age-dependent remodeling of gut microbiome and host serum metabolome in mice.

The interplay between microbiota and host metabolism plays an important role in health. Here, we examined the relationship between age, gut microbiome and host serum metabolites in male C57BL/6J mice. Fecal microbiome analysis of 3, 6, 18, and 28 months (M) old mice showed that the / ratio was highest in the 6M group; the decrease of in the older age groups suggests a reduced capacity of gut microflora to harvest energy from food.