Association of Lifelong Intake of Barley Diet with Healthy Aging: Changes in Physical and Cognitive Functions and Intestinal Microbiome in Senescence-Accelerated Mouse-Prone 8 (SAMP8)

In 2019, a study was conducted on 36 male Senescence-Accelerated Mouse-Prone 8 (SAMP8) mice to investigate the effects of lifelong barley intake on healthy aging. The mice were divided into two groups, with 18 fed a mild high-fat rice diet and 18 fed a mild high-fat barley diet. The study found that the barley diet group had a longer average lifespan by approximately four weeks, lower levels of high-risk LDL-Cholesterol, higher levels of low-risk HDL-Cholesterol, and suppressed increase in blood glucose levels with age. However, long-term barley intake resulted in a decline in hair conditions, such as reduced hair glossiness and increased hair loss. The barley diet also delayed locomotor atrophy, improved balancing abilities, and resulted in better location-related memory. Changes in the intestinal microbiome were also observed, with the barley group having higher levels of certain bacteria than the rice group. The study concluded that lifelong intake of a barley diet may contribute to healthy aging, but further research was needed to confirm these results in humans.