Industry experts spotlight the gut-brain axis as a fundamental aspect of healthy aging

17 Apr 2024 --- As people around the world live increasingly longer lives and want to remain active and independent as they age, experts underscore the critical role of gut health for healthy aging and its impact for the maintenance of cognitive vitality and independence.

Nutrition Insight discusses solutions and trends in the space with industry experts from Beneo, Kaneka Probiotics, Gnosis by Lesaffre, IFF Health and ADM. 

“When it comes to healthy aging, a primary trend continues to be digestive health and its importance in staying fit, active and independent in later life,” Dr Stephan Theis, head of nutrition science and communication at Beneo, tells us. “As people age, the gut microbiome changes, with a lower diversity in gut microbial population and decline in beneficial bifidobacteria.”

The chief business officer at Kaneka Probiotics, Jordi Riera, highlights: “The ability of probiotic supplementation to promote a healthy gut microbiota and thereby affect pathways and mechanisms along the gut-brain axis offers great potential for cognitive health applications.”

Gnosis by Lesaffre’s product manager for SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine), Lorena Carboni, similarly underscores the role dietary supplementation can play in maintaining cognitive vigor with age. “We believe we will see future growth in supplements that promise to enhance brain function, mood and energy.”

Benjamin Milhau, regional marketing lead for EMEA at IFF Health, adds: “Healthy aging is multifaceted, and we focus on several pivotal categories while keeping the microbiome at the forefront, as dysbiosis is recognized as a hallmark of aging.”

Paula Limena, VP of health and wellness global marketing at ADM, notes: “As the connection between gut health and overall well-being garners further awareness, we tap our library of biotic solutions.” 

Healthy gut microbiota with age
Beneo’s Theis states that gut microbiome research over the past decade has shown that if the microbiota in the gut is steered in the right direction, it can have a preventive and potentially therapeutic role in healthier aging.

“Gut-friendly foods, such as those enriched with Beneo’s prebiotic chicory root fibers Orafti Inulin and Oligofructose, can be supportive in nourishing beneficial bacteria, such as Bifidobacteria, within the microbiota as a person gets older,” he outlines.

“Inulin and oligofructose belong to the very few proven prebiotics that selectively nourish the beneficial gut microbiota. Scientific research has established a range of health benefits, including digestive health, blood sugar management, immune health, weight management, calcium absorption for bone health and even mood improvement.” 

Research suggests steering gut microbiota in the right direction can have a preventive and therapeutic role in healthier aging.IFF Health’s Milhau likewise points out that some research indicates that Bifidobacteria and Akkermansia tend to decline in the elderly, with a poorer health outcome associated with a greater decline in these bacteria.

“Our probiotics Howaru Protect 55+ and Howaru B420 have shown to increase the amount of Bifidobacteria in the elderly and Akkermansia in adults, respectively.”

Limena adds that ADM’s BPL1 probiotic and postbiotic target factors are relevant to metabolic health. “DE111 (Bacillus subtilis) spore-forming probiotic may support digestive health and may help support healthy immune function.” 

“New clinical research, which is currently being submitted for publication, demonstrates that our ES1 (Bifidobacterium longum CECT7347) probiotic and postbiotic may support overall gut and digestive health. This study also indicates a reduction in stress versus placebo.”

Maintaining cognitive function 
Kaneka Probiotics’ Riera advocates for the importance of gut health during aging as a person matures while also asserting the significance of a well-nurtured gut microbiota for the amelioration of age-related cognitive decline. “Maintaining cognitive function is a common concern for adults and consumers are seeking products to support cognitive health as they age.” 

“The ability of probiotic supplementation to promote a healthy gut microbiota and thereby affect pathways and mechanisms along the gut-brain axis offers great potential for cognitive health applications,” he explains.

“For example, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study found that adults receiving Lactiplantibacillus plantarum DR7 — commercially known as MindBiome — for 12 weeks experienced reduced stress and improved stress response compared to the placebo group.”

Riera adds that the administration of the supplement demonstrated the ability of the probiotic to maintain healthy microbiome diversity during stressful situations. Lower microbial diversity is correlated with stress and disturbances. 

“Promoting an improved stress response helps manage the damaging effects of stress, which can lead to increased systemic oxidative stress that can affect overall well-being and cognition.”

Anti-inflammatory botanicals
Limena from ADM points to botanical extracts as an emerging solution to ensure the healthy aging of the gut. “Emerging now are botanical extracts like green rooibos for stress management.”

“We assist brands in fortifying their products with essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants by using our selection of botanical and plant extracts. At the cellular level, antioxidants can play a crucial role in promoting healthy aging by potentially reducing oxidative stress,” she elaborates. 

IFF Health’s Milhau notes that aging consumers may develop chronic low-grade inflammation, referred to as “inflammaging.” : He explains that this phenomenon is considered a significant factor in the development of various age-related diseases.

Botanicals rich in antioxidants, such as citrus bioflavonoids or olive leaf extract, can help reduce age-related inflammation.“Botanicals rich in antioxidants, such as citrus bioflavonoids or olive leaf extract, can help reduce inflammation. They also help protect the cells from oxidative stress — damage contributing to the aging process.”

Preventive action for cognition 
Gnosis by Lesaffre’s Carboni concurs that dietary supplementation targeting mental health and cognitive support becomes paramount as a person ages. She points to SAMe as a potential solution. 

“SAMe is a natural molecule shown to support healthy mood and emotional well-being, as it is directly involved in the methylation of neurotransmitters,” she elaborates. “It is also linked to cognitive function by counteracting alterations in brain structure and function tied to the aging process. SAMe is involved in more than one hundred biochemical pathways, and it has been shown to benefit the liver, joints and more.” 

“Unlike other cognitive solutions, SAMe crosses the blood-brain barrier, making it readily available for the brain. It sustains cognitive functions through neurotransmission, neuroprotection and neuroplasticity.”

Neurotransmission refers to maintaining adequate levels of phosphatidylcholine, which impacts memory, learning and attention. Neuroprotection is the fight of free radicals through glutathione production and the promotion of antioxidant release. Neuroplasticity means controlling levels of homocysteine, a recognized risk factor for cognitive decline.

Gnosis has created a synergistic trio for healthy mood and brain called Brain-Quantum Tablets. Carboni explains that this formula with Gnosis’ patented blockbuster ingredients — Adonat Premium SAMe and Quatrefolic — which are associated with vitamin B12, “work synergistically to nurture, sustain and protect brain functionality and help balance mood.” 

Future of gut and cognitive support
Beneo’s Theis argues that the future for functional foods and drinks supporting healthy aging earlier in life looks strong. “People aged around 45 to 60, belonging to Generation X, have a higher interest in functional foods than baby boomers.”

IFF Health’s Milhau adds that recent data from Innova Market Insights shows that younger generations are much more concerned about their health than earlier generations, and they are willing to take proactive steps to improve. ”This is an encouraging leap forward, and we feel a strong sense of responsibility to provide innovative options that tap into viewing aging through not just lifespan, but healthspan.”

“A consumer’s biological and chronological age might be quite disparate, which opens the door to tackling this topic through a wider perspective — consumers’ biological age and chronicle age might be quite disparate, leaving ample opportunity for brands to better address specific and unmet needs based on where they (consumers) feel they need support, versus a more rigid framework dictated by age.”

ADM’s Limena predicts fresh opportunities for brands in the healthy aging market in innovative formulations that address consumers’ specific concerns. For example, she sees that personalized nutrition regimens are gaining traction, as consumers seek customized solutions based on their individual needs.

“Additionally, leveraging technology for health monitoring and incorporating emerging ingredients with scientifically-backed benefits present avenues for differentiation in this competitive market. As consumers increasingly prioritize health and wellness proactivity, brands that align with enduring wellness attributes in their formulations are likely to thrive in this sector.”

As probiotics are generally well accepted and known by consumers, Kaneka Probiotics’ Riera highlights there is a significant potential to “leverage the wide-ranging benefits of probiotics to provide targeted solutions that support healthy aging in distinct population groups across various aspects of well-being.”

“Pioneering studies are now focusing on how specific probiotic strains can affect the gut-brain axis and achieve targeted effects beyond the gut to support various health areas that may be impacted by aging, such as cognitive function, cardiovascular health, menopause, skin health and weight management,” he concludes.

By Milana Nikolova