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The intestinal epithelial barrier: does it become impaired with age?
Johannes Meier1, Andreas Sturm
1Medizinische Klinik m.S. Hepatologie, Gastroenterologie, Endokrinologie und Stoffwechsel, Charité-Universitatsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, DE-13353 Berlin, Germany.
Digestive Diseases (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 30, 2009
Summary
As people age, the intestinal barrier weakens due to inflammation and reduced nutrient absorption, increasing malnutrition risks in older adults. This impacts overall health and highlights the need for targeted nutritional support in the elderly population.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Gerontology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- The aging population is rapidly growing, with malnutrition being a significant concern in elderly individuals.
- The intestinal epithelium forms a crucial barrier, regulating nutrient absorption and preventing pathogen entry.
- Limited data exists on how aging and inflammation affect this vital epithelial barrier.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of aging and inflammation on the integrity and function of the intestinal epithelial barrier.
- To identify age-related changes in nutrient absorption, specifically lipids, within the elderly population.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on aging, intestinal epithelium, inflammation, and nutrient absorption.
- Analysis of studies examining duodenal surface area and intraepithelial lymphocytes in elderly subjects.
- Assessment of factors contributing to impaired epithelial barrier function in older adults.
Main Results:
- While duodenal surface area and intraepithelial lymphocytes may not change significantly with age, lipid absorption is demonstrably impaired in the elderly.
- Factors such as reduced blood flow, ischemic changes, and increased nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use contribute to a compromised epithelial barrier in older patients.
- Inflammation associated with aging appears to play a role in altering epithelial barrier function.
Conclusions:
- Aging, coupled with inflammation, negatively impacts the intestinal epithelial barrier's integrity and function.
- Impaired nutrient absorption, particularly lipids, is a key consequence of aging in the gastrointestinal tract.
- The findings underscore the vulnerability of the elderly gut barrier to factors like ischemia and NSAID use, necessitating further research into preventative and therapeutic strategies.
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