The bacterium from kefir slows age-related changes in the immune system.
A bacterium isolated from kefir has been found to slow age-related changes in the immune system of mice. This conclusion was reached by scientists from the University of Shinshu, who tested the strain Lentilactobacillus kefiri YRC2606. The results were published in the Journal of Functional Foods (JFF).
In the experiment, elderly mice (16–18 months old) were given thermally inactivated bacterium YRC2606 (5 mg per day per animal) mixed with their food for eight consecutive weeks. After this, they exhibited less pronounced age-related changes associated with immune aging: in particular, thymus (thymus gland) indicators were better preserved, and liver indices changed — organs that often suffer from age-related shifts in immunity and metabolism.
At the same time, the team measured molecular markers of cellular aging. In mice on YRC2606, the activity of proteins p16 and p21, which "slow down" cell division and are considered characteristic indicators of tissue aging, decreased. Concurrently, levels of pro-inflammatory signals — IL-6 and TNF-α — also fell.
The authors emphasize that these are preclinical data from animals, so the conclusions cannot be directly applied to humans yet. However, the work demonstrates a potentially promising mechanism through which components of fermented dairy products could become the basis for supplements to support immunity in old age.
