The Gut Microbiome and Aging

It is now widely recognized that the gut microbiota - the accumulation of micro-organisms that colonize the human intestinal system - play a critical role in the regulation of human health. Indeed, it seems that almost daily a new publication links the microbiota and/or the microbiome (the aggregate genetic material of the microbiota) are linked to some new aspect of human health. Given the ubiquitous nature of the gut microbiome in science now, it may be difficult to recall that only a decade ago this field was a fringe scientific interest at best.