It's not just about increasing bacteria. "Building the foundation of the gut" supported by dietary fiber to combat aging.

Alataka LLC's fermented gut health brand "KIN no SUMIKA" exhibited a corporate booth at the "26th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Anti-Aging Medicine," held from June 26 (Fri) to 28 (Sun), 2026, at Pacifico Yokohama North.

This annual meeting shared research and clinical knowledge for supporting healthy longevity, spanning diet, gut microbiota, metabolism, sleep, and frailty. Through multiple lectures, a perspective emerged that views the gut environment not just as "increasing bacteria," but also considering fermentation and metabolism via dietary fiber, as well as sleep and physical function.

This article reports on "building the foundation of the gut" to combat aging, based on the insights shared at the conference.

26th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Anti-Aging Medicine

Re-evaluating the Role of Dietary Fiber in Anti-Aging Medicine

Particularly impressive was the perspective that views dietary fiber not just as a component for bowel movements, but as a dietary factor involved in systemic functions through fermentation and metabolism by gut bacteria.

A portion of the dietary fiber that reaches the large intestine is fermented by gut bacteria into short-chain fatty acids such as acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid. These serve as an energy source for the intestinal epithelium and are being studied for their relationship with the intestinal barrier, immunity, and glucose/lipid metabolism.

Furthermore, dietary fiber intake has been reported to be associated not only with lifestyle diseases but also with systemic functions that tend to change with age, such as muscle strength, cognitive function, sleep, and frailty. From the perspective of anti-aging medicine, dietary fiber is being re-evaluated from "something that regulates bowel movements" to a dietary factor with the potential to support healthy longevity.

Looking at "What was produced" not just the type and number of bacteria

Through multiple lectures, it became clear that the gut environment cannot be fully understood by "which bacteria are present and in what quantity."

A symposium presented interim results of a study where subjects consumed guar gum hydrolysate. While no clear changes were observed in the expected bacterial groups, an increase in butyric acid and propionic acid in stool was reported.

These results suggest that fermentation and metabolism within the gut can change through the utilization of dietary fiber, even without significant changes in bacterial composition.

Future gut health efforts should focus not only on consuming or increasing specific bacteria but also on their functional aspects, such as what they utilize and what metabolites they produce. This conference reaffirmed the need to understand the gut environment not just by the types and numbers of bacteria, but also by their functions.

*The research introduced includes interim analysis and does not involve our products.

"How to consume" dietary fiber is also important

Dietary fiber is an important component that supports health. On the other hand, depending on the type and amount consumed, some people may experience symptoms such as abdominal bloating, gas, and abdominal pain.

A lecture on low-FODMAP diets introduced that carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and easily fermented in the large intestine can be involved in abdominal symptoms, particularly in people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Therefore, it is important to determine the type and amount of dietary fiber and fermentable carbohydrates while observing the body's reaction, rather than uniformly increasing them. Low-FODMAP diets are also a dietary method not for avoiding foods indefinitely, but for exploring one's tolerance by temporarily restricting and then reintroducing them.

Future gut health requires not only considering what is generally considered "healthy" but also discerning how one's own gut reacts to different types and amounts.

Considering the Gut Environment Including Sleep and Physical Function

In anti-aging medicine, important elements for supporting healthy longevity include not only the absence of disease but also the ability to sleep well and maintain cognitive and physical function.

A lecture on the Kyotango Longevity Study reported that approximately 30% of participants had sleep disorders, and these disorders were associated with frailty and cognitive decline. It also showed a tendency for higher dietary fiber intake to correlate with better sleep quality, indicating a perspective that views diet, gut microbiota, sleep, cognitive function, and physical function as interconnected.

These are associations based on observational studies and do not definitively state that dietary fiber intake directly improves sleep or frailty. Nevertheless, considering the gut environment not just in terms of bowel movements and digestion, but also its relationship with sleep, cognitive function, and physical function, is an important perspective for supporting healthy longevity.

"Building the Foundation of the Gut" to Combat Aging

What became clear through this annual meeting is that the gut environment cannot be fully understood by simply consuming or increasing specific bacteria. What is important is to focus not only on the types and numbers of bacteria but also on their "functions" – how gut bacteria utilize dietary fiber and what metabolites they produce.

Furthermore, while dietary fiber is a crucial element for supporting healthy longevity, the body's reaction varies depending on the type and amount consumed. It is essential to determine the appropriate way to consume it, rather than increasing it uniformly. Moreover, future gut health efforts require considering the gut environment not just in terms of bowel movements and digestion, but also its connection to metabolism, sleep, cognitive function, and physical function.

KIN no SUMIKA was born from the concept of "bacterial relay," where multiple bacteria interact with each other to pass on the baton of metabolism. What we consider "building the foundation of the gut" is to create an environment where bacteria can function well, encompassing diverse bacteria, fermentable dietary fiber as their food, and daily diet and lifestyle habits.

What is needed to combat aging is not to rely on any single bacterium or component. It is about continuously creating an environment where bacteria can function, connect, and produce metabolites in the gut, thereby nurturing the "foundation of the gut." We believe that the accumulation of these efforts leads to "building the foundation of the body" that supports healthy longevity.

Corporate Booth Introduced "Bacterial Relay" and Fermentable Dietary Fiber

KIN no SUMIKA Corporate Booth

At the KIN no SUMIKA corporate booth, we introduced "Kintama no Te-bako" (Treasure Box of Bacteria) and "Kin no Okurimono" (Gift of Bacteria), designed to create an environment where gut bacteria can produce short-chain fatty acids through fermentation, along with the concepts of "bacterial relay" and "building the foundation of the gut."

We explained the characteristics of the included fermentable dietary fiber and the product design that considers fermentation and metabolism by gut bacteria to doctors and medical professionals, and exchanged opinions. KIN no SUMIKA will continue to incorporate insights gained from academic conferences and medical fields into product design and information dissemination.

[Brand Overview]

KIN no SUMIKA (キンノスミカ)

"Eating is nurturing tomorrow's self. The accumulation of that becomes a choice in how to live."

A fermented gut health brand that focuses on fermentation and the gut environment, proposing the concept of "building the foundation of the gut" rather than just "consuming bacteria."

[Company Overview]

Company Name: Alataka LLC

Representative: Ikuyo Tsubokawa

Location: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo

Business Activities: Development, planning, manufacturing, and sales of health foods and cosmetics; wholesale of health foods, cosmetics, and daily necessities.

https://kinnosumika.com/