Exercise and Diet adapted microbiome: a novel approach to sustain health and support healthy ageing for Singaporeans

One of the most demanding socio-economic health care challenges in Singapore is development of better guidelines to sustain health for the growing silver generation. While improved medication for chronic life threatening diseases and better socio­ economic status have increased our life span, there is an urgent need to better understand age-related frailty, sarcopenia, malnutrition and reduced cognitive functions. The increased demand of focused age-related health care support must be tackled through prevention and by a considerable better understanding of the biology of ageing.

The realization that microbes influences host metabolism and body function of human beings represents a paradigm shift in understanding human physiology, and aging and diet dependent microbial regulation of host physiology has been proposed (Nicholson & Pettersson Science 2012). Microbes also respond to age stressors - reduced social communication, sleeping problems, dental health and chronic inflammation.

The skeletal muscle supports locomotion, metabolism and cognitive function, making this organ central to human health. Ageing is associated with a decline in skeletal muscle physiology leading to reduced ability to perform daily life activities, loss of independence and low quality of life. At the same time, we know that physical exercise elicits a range of beneficial effects, particularly on skeletal muscle growth, reduced frailty and improved cognitive function.

Our mouse studies have identified a microbiome-muscle axis in which microbes influence muscle physiology and that microbes respond to exercise (Lahiri et al, submitted). We also have data showing that microbiome composition of physically active human beings are different to those physically less active.

This pilot study will phenotype healthy elderly individuals exposed to exercise, so as to assess whether 1) exercise changes microbiome composition irregardless of individual's dietary patterns 2) the exercise-induced microbiome can impose beneficial effects on muscle, liver and brain function through fecal transplantation experiments using germ free mice models.

Sven PETTERSSON 
Visiting Professor
LEE KONG CHIAN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (LKCMEDICINE)