Journal article
The impact of ageing on faecal short chain fatty acids levels in apparently healthy adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Ageing research reviews, Vol.118, 103128
2026
PMID: 41966414
Abstract
Ageing is accompanied by physiological and lifestyle changes that may influence gut microbial metabolism. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including acetate, propionate, and butyrate, are microbial metabolites derived from dietary fibre fermentation and play important roles in host metabolic and immune function. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined age-related differences in faecal SCFA concentrations among apparently healthy adults. Following PRISMA guidelines, searches across five databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central, Scopus, and PubMed) identified 18 eligible studies comparing faecal SCFA levels between stratified age groups. Random-effects meta-analyses showed that older adults had lower faecal concentrations of acetate (standardised mean difference [SMD] −0.53, 95% CI −0.90 to −0.16; p = 0.005), propionate (SMD −0.32, 95% CI −0.53 to −0.12; p = 0.002), butyrate (SMD −0.25, 95% CI −0.44 to −0.05; p = 0.015), and total SCFAs (SMD −0.59, 95% CI −0.98 to −0.21; p = 0.003) compared with younger adults. Insufficient reporting of dietary intake and physical activity precluded reliable meta-regression analyses to determine the contribution of these lifestyle factors to between-study heterogeneity. However, meta-regression identified methodological factors, specifically immediate post-collection freezing of faecal samples, exclusion of participants using antibiotics and the geographic region of studies, as significant sources of heterogeneity. Collectively, these meta-analyses provide quantitative evidence that ageing is associated with reduced faecal SCFA concentrations, indicating a potential age-related decline in microbial fermentation capacity. Understanding whether this decline is a modifiable feature of healthy ageing warrants investigation in future longitudinal and interventional studies.
Details
- Title
- The impact of ageing on faecal short chain fatty acids levels in apparently healthy adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis
- Authors/Creators
- Saleha Alqarni - King Faisal UniversityJennifer Pugh - Imperial College LondonValentine Deremiens - Imperial College LondonAaron M Lett - Imperial College LondonDouglas J Morrison - Scottish EnterpriseNatalie E Riddell - University of SurreyGary S Frost - Imperial College LondonEdward S Chambers - Imperial College London
- Publication Details
- Ageing research reviews, Vol.118, 103128
- Identifiers
- 991005884951707891
- Copyright
- Crown Copyright © 2026
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Centre for Computational and Systems Medicine
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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