Gut & MicrobiomeMouth Bacteria Neisseria flavescens Found to Slow Aging in Animals and Humans
Researchers in China asked whether bacteria living on the tongue influence how fast people age. They sequenced tongue-coating microbes and profiled blood metabolites in hundreds of adults, then used an AI model to estimate biological age. One bacterium, Neisseria flavescens, stood out. People who aged more slowly carried more of it, and AI simulations predicted that boosting it would lower biological age, improve blood lipids and enrich helpful gut microbes. The team isolated two strains from healthy volunteers and confirmed that they make tryptophan, indole-3-acetic acid and vitamin B6. In roundworms, the bacterium extended average lifespan by up to 39% and preserved mobility and gut barrier function. In 20-month-old mice, heat-killed bacteria in drinking water lowered triglycerides and nudged the gut microbiome and liver gene activity toward a younger pattern. No human trial has been done yet.
