Bifidobacterium animalis Probio-M8 improves sarcopenia physical performance by mitigating creatine restrictions imposed by microbial metabolites.

Zeng Zhang, Yajing Fang, Yangli He, Mohamed A Farag, Min Zeng, Yukai Sun, Siqi Peng, Shuaiming Jiang, Xian Zhang, Kaining Chen, Meng Xu, Zhe Han, Jiachao Zhang

School of Food Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Functional Food of Hainan Province, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China.School of Food Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Functional Food of Hainan Province, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China. · pubmed

Paper

Abstract

Sarcopenia is a major health challenge due to an aging population. Probiotics may improve muscle function through gut-muscle axis, but their efficacy and mechanisms in treating sarcopenia remain unclear. This study investigated the impact of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Probio-M8 (Probio-M8) on old mice and sarcopenia patients. We analyzed 43 subjects, including gut microbiome, fecal metabolome, and serum metabolome, using a multi-omics approach to assess whether Probio-M8 can improve sarcopenia by modulating gut microbial metabolites. Probio-M8 significantly improved muscle function in aged mice and enhanced physical performance in sarcopenia patients. It reduced pathogenic gut species and increased beneficial metabolites such as indole-3-lactic acid, acetoacetic acid, and creatine. Mediating effect analyses revealed that Probio-M8 effectively reduced n-dodecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone level in gut concurrent with increased creatine circulation, to significantly enhance host physical properties. These findings provide new insights into probiotics as a potential treatment for sarcopenia by modulating gut microbiota metabolism.

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Research summary

The paper addresses sarcopenia, a condition associated with aging, and investigates the role of probiotics in improving muscle function through the gut-muscle axis. While it provides insights into potential interventions for age-related decline in muscle performance, it primarily focuses on treatment rather than addressing the underlying mechanisms of aging itself. The findings are solid and contribute to the understanding of probiotics in the context of sarcopenia, but they do not represent a significant breakthrough in the broader field of longevity research.

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