Leading researchers have discovered that skin microbiomes can predict a person's age with remarkable precision—within just 3.8 years.
Our bodies host trillions of microbes—bacteria, fungi, viruses—across the intestines, mouth, nasal passages, lungs, and skin. Thankfully, the vast majority support our health.
Microbial communities vary by body region, with each playing specialized roles. Skin microbiomes form a protective barrier against pathogens, while gut microbiomes aid digestion, nutrient absorption, and immune regulation.
These populations shift with age, potentially influencing aging and related diseases. Building on this, experts from the University of California, San Diego, and IBM investigated whether microbiomes could reveal biological age.
Published in mSystems, their study analyzed nearly 10,000 samples from skin, mouth, and gut of thousands of individuals. Using machine learning, they identified the best age predictors.
Gut samples predicted age within 11.5 years; oral samples within 4.5 years. Skin samples excelled, accurate to 3.8 years.
"This ability to link microbes to age advances research on microbiomes in aging and disease, enabling better testing of targeted therapies," said co-author Zhenjiang Zech Xu, PhD.
While not flawless, this paves the way for non-invasive tests: clinicians could swab skin to detect anomalies signaling underlying issues—like a 30-year-old's microbiome resembling a 60-year-old's.
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