Gut Microbiome Holds Clues to Living to 100, Study Finds.

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have studied the gut microbiome of 176 healthy Japanese centenarians and found that their combination of intestinal bacteria and bacterial viruses is unique. The study shows that specific viruses in the intestines can have a beneficial effect on the intestinal flora and thus on our health. The researchers hope to understand the dynamics of the intestinal flora and how to engineer a microbiome that can help us live healthy, long lives. The new insight is significant because we are able to modify the intestinal flora, which could help protect against aging-related diseases.