As people grow older, losing muscle strength can make everyday tasks harder, from climbing stairs to carrying groceries. Scientists have long focused on exercise and nutrition as ways to slow that decline, but new research suggests another part of the body may also be involved: the gut.
Researchers have identified a gut bacterium called Roseburia inulinivorans that was associated with stronger muscles in both younger and older adults. The finding became more intriguing when the researchers gave the bacterium to mice and saw their grip strength increase by about 30%.
