Weak muscles, falling risk: AIIMS study finds gut link in elderly | India News

New Delhi: Muscle weakness in old age may not be just due to aging It may be linked to changes in gut health, suggests a study from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, pointing to a new way of understanding why many older people lose strength and mobility.Published in Geriatrics & Gerontology International, the study, led by Sudeep Mathew George and Prasoon Chatterjee, examined 30 adults over the age of 60 and found that those with sarcopenia — a condition characterized by gradual muscle wasting — had significantly less diverse gut bacteria, a marker of poorer overall health.Dr Chatterjee, who is group clinical lead in geriatric medicine and longevity sciences at Apollo Hospitals and former professor at AIIMS, says the condition is much more widespread than commonly understood. “Sarcopenia is much more common than recognized, affecting 30-40% of community-dwelling elderly and leading to falls, fractures and loss of independence. There is no specific treatment yet, but our AIIMS-funded research highlights the gut-muscle axis as a promising pathway,” he said.Studies have shown that beneficial microbes such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus—known to support metabolism and muscle function—were present at lower levels in those with sarcopenia. At the same time, there were changes in other bacterial groups associated with inflammation, an important driver of muscle breakdown with aging.“These changes in gut bacteria can affect muscle health through inflammation, metabolism and nutrition,” Dr. Chatterjee said, adding that research suggests that aging-related muscle damage is not entirely inevitable but may be partially modifiable through gut health.The findings support the emerging concept of a “gut-muscle axis,” in which perturbations of gut microbes can affect muscle strength through immune, metabolic, and nutritional pathways. Studies have also identified a strong nutritional link. None of the older participants with sarcopenia were well nourished and most were either malnourished or at risk. Dietary patterns also differed, suggesting the potential role of diet in shaping gut health.Clinically, those with sarcopenia also had significantly lower body mass index, poorer grip strength and slower walking speed—clear indicators of reduced mobility and independence.The researchers caution that the study is small and does not establish a causal link. Larger studies are needed. Still, it opens the door to new possibilities—from improving diet to targeting gut bacteria—as a way to prevent or slow aging-related muscle loss, shifting the focus from inevitability to intervention.