Mental Health & Wellness > Wellness Matters

Here’s how a healthy gut lets you live a longer, healthier life

By Meghan McCallum | Fact-checked by Barbara Bekiesz

Published January 10, 2025

Key Takeaways

Industry Buzz

"We propose that gut microbiomes of healthy individuals continue to develop along a distinct trajectory. This trajectory [...] reflects a healthy aging phenotype, and is predictive of extended survival in the latest decades of human life." — Authors, Nature Metabolism
"Seems like we've discovered a ton about gut bacteria just in the past decade, but actual treatments for gut issues still seem oddly rare. Is it just the hype exaggerating what's possible, or is it much more complex than it seems?" — Reddit user @bevansdesign

The gut, widely recognized as a window into individuals’ overall health, can help us better understand lifespan and support healthy aging, with research suggesting that certain characteristics of the gut microbiome may be indicators of longer life expectancy.^[]

Let’s dive into the latest research and discuss experts’ top tips for maintaining a healthy gut for the best chance at healthy aging.

@thestomachdoc What i eat in a day as a doctor for breakfast for gut health #breakfast #fiber #probiotics #prebiotics #guthealth #healthylifestyle #healthyfood ♬ original sound - Dr. Joseph Salhab

What the study reveals

A study published in Nature Metabolism, conducted among 9,000 individuals ranging in age from 18 to 101, showed that a more unique gut microbiome is linked with better overall health—and increasingly so with age.^[] “In the latter decades of human lifespan,” the researchers reported, “healthy individuals continued to show an increasingly unique gut microbial compositional state.” Individuals over 85 with a “low gut microbiome uniqueness measure,” on the other hand, were found to have “significantly decreased survival in the course of 4 year follow-up.”^[]

"We propose that gut microbiomes of healthy individuals continue to develop along a distinct trajectory. This trajectory [...] reflects a healthy aging phenotype, and is predictive of extended survival in the latest decades of human life."

— Authors, Nature Metabolism

@eternalwellness100
A healthy gut microbiome can lead to a longer lifespan
♬ original sound - Eternal Wellness

A happy gut starts with diet

Diet is, of course, the cornerstone of gut health. Given the popularity and convenience of processed foods, it’s no wonder that many adults struggle to follow a gut-healthy diet. In their comment on the study, the National Institute on Aging summed up the researchers’ perspective: “Modern diets rich in salty, sugary, or fatty processed foods may damage the aging gut, while higher fiber nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, seeds, beans, and nuts could be combined with exercise to help protect a healthy gut microbiome balance as we age.”^[]

What patients can do now

Patients can take action now to improve their gut health and, in turn, spark positive impacts on their overall health, quality of life, and lifespan.

The Cleveland Clinic recommends a gut-healthy diverse diet with a focus on plant-based foods, providing dietary fiber and micronutrients.^[] Prebiotics and probiotics also support a healthy GI tract.

Additionally, patients can take care of their gut microbiome by scaling back on processed foods, including sweets, processed meats, and fried foods.

Further research to dive deeper

More research is needed to further explore gut health for longevity. In turn, this could unlock even more insights and benefits for our older adults as they age. “As our understanding of the aging microbiome increases,” the study researchers stated, “monitoring and identifying modifiable features that may promote healthy aging and longevity will have important clinical implications for the world’s growing older population.”^[]

For now, focusing on a diverse plant-rich diet is one of the most direct ways patients can boost their gut health. The Cleveland Clinic explains that while research is ongoing, recent studies help to confirm of our most trusted wellness principles. “In particular: a healthy, whole foods diet is key to a healthy gut.”^[]