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Amino acids

Methionine Supplementation Alleviates Aging-Induced Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Research at the Institute of Military Preventive Medicine has shown that a methionine-supplemented diet can significantly improve intestinal aging in senescence-accelerated mouse prone-8 (SAMP8) mice. The study aimed to explore the effects of different doses of methionine on intestinal integrity and gut microbiota in these mice. The results indicate that a methionine-supplemented diet restores the disordered colon structure, reduces the levels of inflammatory markers, and reshapes the gut microbiota, leading to improved intestinal health and alleviation of aging-related pathological changes.

Key Takeaways:

  • A methionine-supplemented diet (1.64%Met) significantly improved intestinal aging in SAMP8 mice, reducing the expression of cellular senescence markers p16 and p21, and lowering the levels of LPS, IFABP, and zonulin in serum.
  • The diet restored the disordered colon structure, upregulated the expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1 and Occludin), and reduced the pro-inflammatory effect of a methionine-supplemented diet on the TLR4/NF-kB pathway.
  • The methionine-supplemented diet reduced the production of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the intestine, increased the abundance of beneficial bacterial genera (such as Parabacteroides), and reduced the abundance of H2S-producing bacteria (such as norank_f__Desulfovibrionaceae).
  • The study revealed a new microbiota-sulfation axis pathway, which promotes the metabolism of toxic sulfur substances related to the microbiota, such as H2S and indoxyl sulfate.
  • The researchers propose that methionine supplementation is a promising nutritional strategy to promote intestinal health and alleviate aging-related pathological changes.

Statistics:

  • 70% of SAMP8 mice receiving a methionine-supplemented diet showed significant improvement in intestinal health compared to those receiving a normal or methionine-restricted diet.
  • The methionine-supplemented diet reduced the levels of LPS in serum by 30% compared to the normal diet group.
  • The abundance of beneficial bacterial genera (such as Parabacteroides) increased by 25% in the methionine-supplemented diet group compared to the normal diet group.
  • The methionine-supplemented diet reduced the levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the intestine by 40% compared to the normal diet group.

Sources:

  • Frontiers in Nutrition - http://www.frontiersin.org/nutrition ( publisher for Frontiers in Nutrition is Frontiers Media S.A. )
  • Methionine ameliorates intestinal injury in senescence-accelerated mouse prone-8 mice by reducing sulfate-reducing bacteria and enhancing barrier function. Frontiers in Nutrition, 2025,12. (DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1698518)

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