Promotion of healthy aging through the nexus of gut microbiota and dietary phytochemicals

Aging is associated with the decline of tissue and cellular functions, which can promote the development of age-related diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, and disorders of the musculoskeletal and immune systems. Healthspan is the length of time an individual is in good health and free from chronic diseases and disabilities associated with aging. Two modifiable factors that can influence healthspan, promote healthy aging, and prevent the development of age-related diseases, are the diet and microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract (gut microbiota). This review will discuss how dietary phytochemicals and gut microbiota can work in concert to promote a healthy gut and healthy aging. First an overview is provided of how the gut microbiota influences healthy aging through its impact on gut barrier integrity, immune function, mitochondria function and oxidative stress. Next, the mechanisms by which phytochemicals effect gut health, inflammation, and nurture a diverse and healthy microbial composition are discussed. Lastly, the gut microbiota can directly influence health by producing bioactive metabolites from phytochemicals in food like urolithin A, equol, hesperetin and sulforaphane. These and other phytochemical derived microbial metabolites that may promote healthspan are discussed. Importantly, an individual's capacity to produce health promoting microbial metabolites from cruciferous vegetables, berries, nuts, citrus and soy products will be dependent on the specific bacteria present in the individual's gut.