Topic: Gut Microbiota and Metabolites in Cardiovascular Aging and Disease

This Special Issue of The Journal of Cardiovascular Aging, titled “Gut Microbiota and Metabolites in Cardiovascular Aging and Disease,” explores the pivotal role of the gut-heart axis in cardiovascular health and disease across the lifespan. As cardiovascular conditions remain a leading cause of age-related morbidity and mortality, understanding how gut microbial communities and their metabolic byproducts influence cardiac aging offers novel insights into disease mechanisms. This issue compiles cutting-edge research on the effects of gut microbiota composition and microbial-derived metabolites—such as short-chain fatty acids, (TMAO) trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), and bile acids—on cardiovascular pathophysiology, through mechanisms including chronic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and immune modulation. It also examines how dietary patterns, probiotics, prebiotics, antibiotics, and other lifestyle factors shape the gut ecosystem and influence trajectories of cardiovascular aging. Furthermore, contributions investigate the roles of host genetics, sex differences, and pre-existing metabolic conditions in modulating gut-heart interactions, as well as emerging translational and therapeutic strategies targeting the gut microbiota to prevent or mitigate cardiovascular disease. By integrating perspectives from microbiology, metabolomics, and cardiology, this Special Issue seeks to foster multidisciplinary dialogue and inspire innovative approaches to enhance cardiovascular resilience and promote healthy aging.

Gut microbiota; metabolites; aging; bile acids; short-chain fatty acids (SCFA); cardiovascular disease; atherosclerosis; heart failure; atrial fibrillation