Did you know that your gut can “taste” and that this might influence how you age? A recent study led by researchers at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, has discovered that two bitter taste receptors found in the colon, TAS2R5 and TAS2R38, could play an important role in age-related metabolic changes.
Although these receptors are best known for detecting bitter flavors on the tongue, scientists have found them in other parts of the body such as the intestines, lungs, and brain. Beyond their role in taste, they seem to affect how our bodies respond to food, manage energy, and regulate inflammation.
The research team compared intestinal tissue samples from healthy younger adults with an average age of 39 and older adults with an average age of 64. Using advanced data analysis and artificial intelligence, they found that the presence of TAS2R5 and TAS2R38 was clearly associated with differences in blood markers linked to aging. These included polyunsaturated fatty acids, lipoproteins which carry fats in the blood, and inflammatory molecules like interleukin 6.
TAS2R5 was connected to inflammation and fat metabolism, while TAS2R38 was related to compounds like sphingomyelin and acetone, which are involved in cellular structure and fat breakdown. Both receptors also correlated with beta hydroxybutyrate, a molecule that the body produces during certain metabolic conditions.
These findings suggest that bitter taste receptors in the colon may influence how the body ages. As lead researcher Anna Ardévol explains, understanding how these receptors interact with food and gut microbiota could help develop strategies for healthier aging.
Serra Húnter Fellow of Sociology at Universitat Rovira i Virgili.
Former DAAD-Gastprofessorin at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg