ASSOCIATION BETWEEN DIETARY LIVE MICROBES, FOLATE, AND FATIGUE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN U.S. OLDER ADULTS - Poster 7130

Sep 29, 2026

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Fatigue is a common and debilitating condition in older adults, linked to chronic inflammation, gut-brain axis dysfunction, and impaired metabolic health. Live microbes in fermented foods and dietary fibers may alleviate fatigue by increasing short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production and nutrient bioavailability. Folate is essential for energy metabolism and is influenced by gut microbiome activity. Using NHANES 2021–2023 data from 2,353 adults aged ≥60, live microbe intake was associated with lower fatigue odds and higher RBC folate, with folate mediating 21.8% of the effect.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Study overview

Participants and data source

Exposure and outcome measures

Statistical approach and key results

Interpretation and limitations

Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 713 Galya Bigman1, Amber Kleckner2, Elizabeth Dennis3, John Sorkin2, and Alice Ryan3, 1. University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 2. University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 3. University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States Fatigue is a common and debilitating condition in older adults, linked to chronic inflammation, gut-brain axis dysfunction, and impaired metabolic health. Live microbes in fermented foods and dietary fibers support short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, potentially alleviating fatigue by modulating these mechanisms and enhancing nutrient bioavailability. Folate, essential for energy metabolism, is associated with fatigue, and its bioavailability is influenced by the gut microbiome through live microbe intake. This study examines the relationship between live microbe intake and fatigue, with folate as a mediator. We analyzed data from 2,353 older U.S. adults (≥60 years) in NHANES (2021–2023) . Fatigue, assessed via the PHQ-9, was categorized as present or absent. RBC folate, a biomarker of long-term status, was classified into tertiles. Dietary microbe intake, including probiotics, was derived from 24-hour recallsand categorized as Low (< 104 CFU/g), Medium (104–107 CFU/g), or High (>107 CFU/g). Covariates included demographics, BMI, comorbidities, lifestyle, and energy intake. Multivariable regression and structural equation modeling accounted for survey design. The mean age was 69.4 years (SD = 6.3), with 46.1% male. Live microbe intake was low (28 .3%), medium (45 .5%), or high (26.5%), and 15.4% reported fatigue. Higher microbe intake was linked to lower fatigue odds (OR = 0.58, p = 0.021) and increased folate levels (OR = 1.38, p = 0.015), with folate mediating 21.8% of the effect. While findings suggest dietary microbes may reduce fatigue via folate, causal inference requires further study. SESSION 7130 (POSTER) NUTRITION, EATING DISORDERS Abstract citation ID: igaf122.2429 ASSOCIATION BETWEEN DIETARY LIVE MICROBES, FOLATE, AND FATIGUE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN U.S. OLDER ADULTS

FAQs

What was the main question of the study?

The study examined the relationship between dietary live microbe intake and fatigue in U.S. older adults, with folate proposed as a mediator.

How were fatigue and folate assessed?

Fatigue was measured using PHQ-9 and grouped as present versus absent, while RBC folate served as a long-term biomarker categorized into tertiles.

What were the main findings linking microbes, folate, and fatigue?

Higher dietary live microbe intake was associated with lower odds of fatigue (OR = 0.58, p = 0.021) and higher folate levels (OR = 1.38, p = 0.015), with folate mediating 21.8% of the effect.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Jacob