Exercise and what it means for your gut health
We all know that exercise is a basic pillar of our health. Optimal levels of physical activity lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental health conditions such as depression. It is also fundamental for strengthening our muscles and bones and studies have shown that being physically active has the potential to reduce the risk of colon cancer.
So, what is the novelty?
Recent studies have shown that the positive effects of exercise on our health might be partially explained by changes in the gut microbiome. In this article, weโll look at the evidence of this link.
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What is the gut microbiome?
The GI tract is an organ system with important functions: it takes in food, digests and absorbs energy and nutrients, and eliminates the remaining waste as feces. The gut microbiome is located in the intestinal lumen of the large intestine (colon) and consists of a very complex and dynamic ecosystem, with tremendous diversity and variation among individuals.
The gut microbiome helps with digestion and food absorption to create energy for our body's vital functions. The food we can not digest in the upper intestine is fermented for our microbes, producing many metabolites that are crucial for our health, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).
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Relationships between exercise, human gut microbiome, and health
Recent studies suggest, that there is a connection between exercise and the gut microbiome. Scientists are investigating the role of this community of microbes as an invisible coach in sports and how the composition of this community can affect physical performance.
A study show that the gut microbiome ofย fit individuals, in good physical shape, has been shown to increase the production of the important SCFA compound butyrate, due to the increased abundances of key butyrate-producing bacteria species.ย
SCFAs are a group of fatty acids produced when gut bacteria ferment fiber. The most common types are butyrate, propionate, and acetate. One of the crucial roles of the SAFCs is to support our intestinal epithelial cells, providing energy. These cells are important in many ways. They help digest our food and absorb nutrients, but they are also fundamental in helping protect against infections and mucus production.
Beyond energy production, SCFAs also help keep the epithelial cells tightly linked together. This reduces the risk of unwanted bacteria and microbes leaking into the bloodstream, making sure that the intestinal barrier is in optimal shape. This improvement in intestinal permeability and therefore, reduction in inflammation could explain some of the positive effects on people who practice exercise.
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How does the gut microbiome composition affect our performance?
Another study showed that professional athletes had a higher ฮฑ-diversity in the gut microbiota compared to sedentary controls. Regarding gut microbiome composition, some studies suggest that athletes shows a higher abundance of the super bacterium Akkermansia spp. and Prevotella spp.
Notably, an increase in Akkermansia muciniphila, was observed in professional athletes. This bacteria is associated with positive metabolic function and the lean phenotype. Conversely, some studies have shown that pathobionts such as E. coli or E. faecalis, potentially disease-causing species decrease in active people.
Test your self if you have these bacteria with a microbiome test from Unseen Bio.
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Summary
Being physically active is known for having a positive impact on general health, and recent studies have shown that these effects might be partially explained by changes in the composition of the gut microbiome.
In contrast to sedentary people, athletes, and physically active persons have a greater diversity of fecal bacteria and an abundance of beneficial species mainly short-chain fatty acid producers.
This results in an improvement in intestinal permeability and therefore reduction in inflammation.
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If you want to dive deeper into the gut microbiome, then listen to our podcast "Mikrobiomet" (The Microbiome), where we explore everything science knows about gut health and the microbiome together with a broad range of microbiome experts.ย
You can also read more about how your life style and the different food groups impactย the gut microbiome inย our other articles.ย
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By Christian Lieven (System Biologist)
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Sources:
- Chen Y, Yang K, Xu M, Zhang Y, Weng X, Luo J, Li Y, Mao Y-H. Dietary Patterns, Gut Microbiota and Sports Performance in Athletes: A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2024; 16(11):1634. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16111634
- Clauss, M., Gรฉrard, P., Mosca, A., & Leclerc, M. (2021). Interplay Between Exercise and Gut Microbiome in the Context of Human Health and Performance. Frontiers in Nutrition, 8, 637010. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.637010
