Regulatory and Influencing Factors of Digestive Function in Elderly People: Roles of the Gut Microbiota and Nutritional Interventions

Aging is a natural and gradual biological process through which living organisms undergo physical, physiological, and sometimes psychological changes over time. Aging is commonly associated with a decline in gastrointestinal function, leading to various digestive disorders that impact the quality of life of older adults. The gut microbiota is a highly complex ecosystem that plays crucial roles in digestion, metabolic processes, immune functions, and overall health. However, emerging evidence indicates that many elderly individuals maintain relatively stable digestive health, suggesting the influence of modifiable regulatory factors. In this review, we describe the key physiological, microbial, and nutritional factors that regulate and influence digestive function in an aging population. Additionally, we explored the impact of age-associated alterations in the gut microbiota on digestive health challenges in older adults and emphasized the therapeutic potential of targeted nutritional intervention approaches, such as dietary modifications, prebiotics, probiotics, and symbiotic and fecal microbiota transplantation, which have shown promise in rebalancing the gut microbiome and reducing inflammation.