The Effect of Fermented Milk Containing Lactobacillus Casei Strain Shirota on Sarcopenia in Elderly Taiwanese: Interactions With the Nutrients Utilization, Diversity of Gut Microbiota, Microbiota-derived Metabolites and Muscle Loss

Sarcopenia, which refers to the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, shares many characteristics with other disease states typically associated with risks of falling and fracture, including osteoporosis, frailty, and obesity. Sarcopenia often is linked to an increase in connective tissue, muscle steatosis, impaired muscle metabolism, an increase in inflammatory markers, an increased stiffness of myofibers, slower kinetics in establishing myosin-actin crossing bridges, increased oxidative stress, mitochondria dysfunction, hormonal imbalance, and decreased capillary flow. In addition to the Lactobacillus casei strain, Shirota is a well-known probiotic strain that has been approved and is generally recognized as safe by the United States Food and Drug Administration. L. casei strain Shirota (LCS) has been suggested to confer health benefits. Investigators found that LCS decelerated age-related muscle loss via ensuring mitochondrial function in Senescence-Accelerated Mouse Prone 8 (SAMP8) mice. Investigators also found that 3-Indolepropionic Acid (IPA) is a microbiota-derived metabolite from a healthy intestinal gut. IPA is also a protective factor for the progression of chronic kidney disease in the Chinese population. This clinical trial focuses on the effect of fermented milk containing LCS on sarcopenia in elderly Taiwanese individuals. Investigators focus on the topic of the interaction of LCS with the diversity of the gut microbiota, microbiota-derived metabolites, and protein utilization. The proposal will have four research goals. First, investigators try to investigate whether long term supplementation LCS could restructure the gut microbiota composition and gut microbial metabolites to against Aging related -Gut Dysbiosis in elderly. Second, investigators also try to link the LCS play an important role on muscle loss and alternation of gut microbiota composition. Third, investigators try to study the LCS effect of muscle deterioration with aging, and highlight the two underpinning mechanisms (ROS and protein utilization) regulating declines in muscle mass and function. Fourth, Since IPA is important Microbiota-derived metabolites in health gut, investigators try to investigate whether LCS could play an important role on modulation of IPA production in GI. Fifth, investigators hope that investigators can through gut microbiota composition found some selective microbiota clusters perform positively correlation with IPA.