High-Altitude Impacts on Gut Microbiota: Accelerated Aging and the Urgency for Targeted Health Interventions

Abstract

Ni, Zhexin, Yongqiang Zhou, Mingyang Chang, Tiantian Xia, Wei Zhou, and Yue Gao. High-altitude impacts on gut microbiota: Accelerated aging and the urgency for targeted health interventions. High Alt Med Biol. 26:416–423, 2025.—The human gut microbiota is integral to the aging process, and its composition is notably influenced by the unique environmental pressures of high-altitude plateaus, characterized by hypobaric and hypoxic conditions. This study explores the correlation between physiological aging and gut microbiota among high-altitude plateau inhabitants, an essential aspect of health preservation in such regions. We conducted a metagenomic analysis of fecal samples from 105 individuals who migrated to high-altitude areas before the age of 20. Our results demonstrate that advancing age and prolonged high-altitude living significantly modify the gut microbiota, evidenced by reduced diversity and an elevated Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio in older subjects. Notably, the abundance of the anti-aging bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila) inversely correlates with age, showing a significant decline post the age of 25. A comparative analysis of 2,007 individuals from lower altitudes revealed a similar negative correlation between A. muciniphila and age, with a decline evident from age 38. These findings indicate that the high-altitude plateau environment may accelerate the decline of A. muciniphila by 10 years, underscoring the need for targeted health strategies for high-altitude populations.