The Gut Microbiome

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Introduction:

Welcome to this week’s newsletter, where I will discuss the Gut Microbiome, a topic I am particularly interested in due to its significant impact on athlete health and performance.

I was privileged to co-author several research publications on this topic, including The Athletic Gut Microbiota (2020) and The International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: probiotics (2019). I have also already dedicated five episodes of the We Do Science Podcast, where I interview leading experts on the human gut, microbiome, and probiotics.

The gut microbiome has emerged as a fascinating study area with significant implications for athletes. This newsletter and blog post, the first of several upcoming planned posts on this topic, aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the impact of the gut microbiome on athlete health and performance, drawing insights from recent research.

What is the Gut Microbiome?

The gut microbiome refers to the complex community of microorganisms that inhabit the human gastrointestinal tract. This community comprises a diverse range of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms that play a crucial role in maintaining human health. The gut microbiome involves various physiological processes, including digestion, nutrient absorption, and immune system regulation. The gut microbiome is a dynamic and complex system influenced by various factors, including diet, lifestyle, and genetics. The composition and diversity of the gut microbiome can vary significantly between individuals and even within the same individual over time. Recent research has highlighted the importance of the gut microbiome in maintaining overall health and preventing various diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. In the context of athletes, the gut microbiome has emerged as a crucial area of study, with significant implications for athlete health and performance. High-level athletes often experience negative health consequences due to high levels of physical activity, many of which may be directly or indirectly linked to the gut microbiome. Understanding the gut microbiome and its response to stressors is essential for optimising athlete health and performance.

The Gut Microbiome

The human gut microbiome, comprising a diverse community of microorganisms, is pivotal in influencing various aspects of human health, including immunomodulation, digestion, and vitamin uptake. Recent studies, such as the one by Olsson et al. (2022), have highlighted the stability of microbiome composition and functional capabilities over time in individuals. However, certain disease-associated bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, exhibit high variability, even in healthy individuals, emphasising the need for longitudinal microbiome monitoring, particularly in the context of professional athletes who undergo extreme dietary and lifestyle changes. Furthermore, the gut microbiome of high-level athletes has been noted to be significantly different from that of non-athletes, with greater diversity, higher levels of health-promoting bacteria, and increased potential to produce important bacterial metabolites. This suggests that physical activity may have a positive effect on gut health. However, the relationship between exercise and the gut microbiome is complex and requires further research to understand its implications fully. Understanding the dynamics of the gut microbiome and its response to stressors, such as changes in diet, travel, and extremes of physical activity, is crucial for optimising athlete health and performance.

As a sports nutritionist, I feel it is now essential to recognise the potential impact of the gut microbiome on athletes and explore strategies to monitor and modify the microbiome to support their overall well-being and competitive performance.

Impact of Extreme Exercise on Gut Health

The negative effects of extreme exercise on immune function and gastrointestinal health are well-documented, with elite athletes experiencing a higher incidence of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) and gastrointestinal distress. Stuempfle and Hoffman (2015) reported that a significant percentage of participants in a 161 km ultramarathon experienced gastrointestinal symptoms, with some attributing their failure to finish the race to these symptoms. Moreover, elite athletes are prone to URTIs during training seasons, likely due to the stress of extreme exercise. However, studies by Schreiber et al. (2021) and Tavares-Silva et al. (2021) have demonstrated certain probiotics' potential to mitigate gastrointestinal distress and URTI symptoms in professional cyclists and marathon runners, respectively.

Microbiome-Based Interventions and Athletic Performance

Microorganism-based interventions that act via the gut have shown significant potential in improving athlete health and performance. Tavares-Silva et al. (2021) highlighted the effectiveness of a multi-strain probiotic in reducing URTI symptoms in marathon runners. It is believed that microbiome-based interventions can enhance athletic performance by influencing muscle growth, endurance, and other functions. The production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), important bacterial metabolites, is thought to play a crucial role in human health and may be influenced by the gut microbiome.

Conclusion

In conclusion, athletes undergo extreme stress as part of their lifestyle, which can profoundly affect their gut microbiome, immune function, and overall health. However, emerging research suggests that microbiome-based interventions, such as probiotics and prebiotics, hold promise in mitigating negative health effects and potentially enhancing athletic performance.

Take-Home Messages

1. Longitudinal monitoring of the gut microbiome is valuable for assessing microbiome health, especially for athletes undergoing extreme dietary and lifestyle changes.

2. Extreme exercise can negatively impact gut health and immune function in athletes, leading to gastrointestinal distress and increased susceptibility to URTIs.

3. Microbiome-based interventions, including probiotics, have the potential to mitigate negative health effects and improve athletic performance.

References:

Olsson, L.M., F. Boulund, S. Nilsson, M.T. Khan, A. Gummesson, L. Fagerberg, L. Engstrand, R. Perkins, M. Uhlén, G. Bergström, V. Tremaroli, and F. Bäckhed (2022). Dynamics of the normal gut microbiota: A longitudinal one-year population study in Sweden. Cell Host Microbe 30:726-739.

Stuempfle, K.J., and M.D. Hoffman (2015). Gastrointestinal distress is common during a 161-km ultramarathon. J. Sports Sci. 33:1814–1821.

Schreiber, C., S. Tamir, R. Golan, A. Weinstein, and Y. Weinstein (2021). The effect of probiotic supplementation on performance, inflammatory markers and gastro-intestinal symptoms in elite road cyclists. J. Int. Soc. Sports Nutr. 18:36.

Tavares-Silva, E., A.V. Caris, S.A. Santos, G.R. Ravacci, and R.V. Thomatieli-Santos (2021) ‘Effect of multi-strain probiotic supplementation on URTI symptoms and cytokine production by monocytes after a marathon race: A randomized, double-blind, placebo study. Nutrients 13:1478.

That’s it for today! I hope you found this of interest and value.

Have a great week, and see you next week for another edition of Fueling Greatness, in which we will continue to explore key topics in sport and exercise nutrition and unpack the “science-to-application” to help you achieve your performance, body composition and well-being goals.

Best regards,

Dr Laurent Bannock

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