Accounting Gut Microbiota as the Mediator of Beneficial Effects of Dietary (Poly)phenols on Skeletal Muscle in Aging

Abstract

Sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and function increasing the risk of disability and adverse outcomes in older people, is substantially influenced by dietary habits. Several studies from animal models of aging and muscle wasting indicate that the intake of specific polyphenol compounds can be associated with myoprotective effects, and improvements in muscle strength and performance. Such findings have also been confirmed in a smaller number of human studies. However, in the gut lumen, dietary polyphenols undergo extensive biotransformation by gut microbiota into a wide range of bioactive compounds, which substantially contribute to bioactivity on skeletal muscle. Thus, the beneficial effects of polyphenols may consistently vary across individuals, depending on the composition and metabolic functionality of gut bacterial communities. The understanding of such variability has recently been improved. For example, resveratrol and urolithin interaction with the microbiota can produce different biological effects according to the microbiota metabotype. In older individuals, the gut microbiota is frequently characterized by dysbiosis, overrepresentation of opportunistic pathogens, and increased inter-individual variability, which may contribute to increasing the variability of biological actions of phenolic compounds at the skeletal muscle level. These interactions should be taken into great consideration for designing effective nutritional strategies to counteract sarcopenia.

Therapeutic potential of stilbenes in neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders: A comprehensive review of preclinical and clinical evidence

“…Interestingly, two metabotypes associated with resveratrol metabolism by the gut microbiota were found. Out of 195 healthy volunteers, 74% were lunularin producers and 26% were lunularin non‐producers (Iglesias‐Aguirre et al, 2022; Ticinesi et al, 2023). In another study, six different stilbenoids (including resveratrol and piceatannol) were incubated with fecal samples obtained from different human donors.…”

“…The results revealed marked differences in the intensity of metabolism and spectrum of metabolites among the samples from different donors (Jarosova et al, 2019). It appears that the differences in microbiota composition may significantly influence stilbenes metabolism and bioavailability, and therefore contribute to the high inter‐individual variability in response to their consumption as well as to inconsistent results from human and animal studies (Ticinesi et al, 2023). For this reason, the stilbenes‐microbiota interplay should be also taken into consideration when planning or comparing preclinical studies.…”

The interaction between Mediterranean diet and intestinal microbiome: relevance for preventive strategies against frailty in older individuals

“…(Poly)phenols or phenolic compounds are generally abundant in MD, where the intake of fruit and vegetables, wholegrain cereals, nuts, legumes, and extra virgin olive oil is recommended in large amounts [ 118 ]. The interaction between dietary (poly)phenols and the gut microbiome is able to generate several bioactive metabolites exhibiting anti-aging effects, especially at the skeletal muscle and central nervous system level [ 86 , 119 , 120 ]. However, the microbiome response to dietary interventions shows a consistent inter-individual variability in terms of production of bioactive compounds [ 121 , 122 ].…”

A mito-centric view on muscle aging and function

“…Promoting a healthy gut microbiota also improves the bioavailability of dietary polyphenols. These compounds have been shown to benefit skeletal muscle cells and tissues, thus potentially representing effective components of a treatment strategy for reducing or reversing sarcopenia ( 39 ). Indeed, two studies detected improvements in mitochondrial density and oxidative phosphorylation capacity, accompanied by enhanced skeletal muscle morphology and better mobility in aged persons after 12 weeks of admission of resveratrol (500 mg/day) combined with exercise training ( 40 , 41 ).…”