Our gut microbiota is a complex and dynamic ecosystem with a paramount role in shaping our metabolic and immunological functions. Recent research suggests that aging may negatively affect the composition, diversity, and function of our microbiota mainly due to alterations in diet and immunologic reactivity (i.e. immunosenescence), and increased incidence of certain diseases and, therefore, increased exposure to certain medication (e.g. antibiotics, proton pump inhibitors). In turn, this aging-related gut dysbiosis may contribute to the initiation and/or progress of other metabolic diseases, and consequently, to a decrease in healthy longevity. On the positive side, promising therapeutic interventions, such as diet supplementation with prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics, or fecal microbiota transplantation, aimed to counteract these aging-related deleterious consequences, could improve our health, and extend our healthy lifespan. In this context, the current review aims to assess the latest progress in identifying the key elements affecting the gut microbiota of the older adults and their mechanism of action, and the effectiveness of the therapeutic interventions aimed at restoring the diversity and healthy functions of the gut microbiota in older individuals.

我们的肠道微生物群是一个复杂且动态的生态系统，在塑造我们的代谢和免疫功能方面发挥着至关重要的作用。最近的研究表明，衰老可能会对微生物群的组成、多样性和功能产生负面影响，这主要是由于饮食和免疫反应性（即免疫衰老）的改变，以及某些疾病发病率的增加，因此增加了对某些药物（例如抗生素）的接触，质子泵抑制剂）。反过来，这种与衰老相关的肠道菌群失调可能会导致其他代谢疾病的发生和/或进展，从而导致健康寿命的缩短。从积极的一面来看，有希望的治疗干预措施，例如在饮食中补充益生元、益生菌和合生元，或粪便微生物群移植，旨在抵消这些与衰老相关的有害后果，可以改善我们的健康，延长我们的健康寿命。在此背景下，本综述旨在评估确定影响老年人肠道菌群的关键因素及其作用机制的最新进展，以及旨在恢复肠道多样性和健康功能的治疗干预措施的有效性老年人的微生物群。