The trillions of microbes living in the human gut are increasingly recognised as important partners in human health. Scientists have linked the gut microbiome to several aspects of health, from metabolism and immunity to mental health.

A recent study suggests that these microbes may also influence an important aspect of fitness – muscle strength.

Muscle strength is a crucial feature of health for many reasons. It supports our joints and keeps our bones healthy, boosts athletic performance and even plays a role in metabolic health.

Muscle strength also helps us maintain independence later in life. As muscles gradually weaken as we get older, everyday tasks become harder and the risk of falls increases. Understanding what influences muscle strength is therefore an important part of healthy ageing research.

Read more: Muscle is important for good health – here’s how to maintain it after middle age

A recent study explored whether specific gut bacteria might be linked to muscle strength. Researchers analysed the gut microbiomes of two groups of adults: 90 young adults aged 18 to 25 and 33 older adults aged 65 to 75.

Participants provided stool samples so researchers could identify the microbes living in their gut. The researchers used DNA sequencing to read genetic material from the microbes in each sample. By comparing these sequences with large reference databases, they could determine which bacterial species were present and how........

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