Nature agingAug 26, 2026

A probiotic and its active compound may reduce age-related inflammation to improve healthy aging

Longevity & Aging Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Aug 27, 2026

Abstract

Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum is consistently depleted during aging and is linked to improved health outcomes.

Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum may play a protective role against aging-related decline.
Oral administration of B. pseudocatenulatum in aged mice improved intestinal health and cognitive-motor performance.
The metabolite 5-aminovaleric acid betaine (5-AVAB) decreases in levels as humans age and is associated with health benefits.
Supplementation with 5-AVAB could mimic some positive effects of B. pseudocatenulatum, including enhanced cognitive and motor functions.
The B. pseudocatenulatum-5-AVAB relationship may serve as a target for interventions aimed at promoting healthy aging.

Simplified

The gut microbiome profoundly influences host aging, yet the specific microbes and mechanisms governing divergent aging trajectories remain elusive. In this study, we delineated enterotype-specific gut microbial remodeling during aging and developed a microbiome-based aging clock (MicroAge) to track biological aging trajectories. We identified Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum (B. pseudocatenulatum) as a candidate geroprotective species consistently depleted during aging across both sexes and multiple Chinese cohorts. In naturally aged mice, oral B. pseudocatenulatum monotherapy rescued intestinal homeostasis, mitigated multiorgan inflammaging, enhanced cognitive-motor performance and extended healthspan. Mechanistically, we characterized 5-aminovaleric acid betaine (5-AVAB) as a key B. pseudocatenulatum-derived metabolite whose levels decline physiologically in aging humans. 5-AVAB supplementation partially recapitulated a broad spectrum of the systemic benefits observed with B. pseudocatenulatum treatment, including improved cognitive and motor function and suppressed multiorgan inflammaging. Our findings identify the B. pseudocatenulatum-5-AVAB axis as a promising target for microbiome-based interventions to promote healthy aging.