Physical activity induced alterations of gut microbiota in humans: a systematic review

Abstract

Background Gut microbiota is considered to have a great impact on human health and disease. While it is widely recognized that the gut microbiota of healthy individuals differs from those with obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic syndrome, and other chronic diseases, the alterations of gut microbiota with physical activity are not fully understood. Accordingly, we performed this systematic review to address the question regarding the effects of mild and intense exercise on the gut microbiota in humans. Methods The comparative analyses of gut microbiota were conducted following the PRISMA protocol to determine the differences in the active vs. non-active individuals (phenotypes) (n = 11), including the influence of physical activity intervention on the human gut microbiota (n = 13); the differences in the gut microbiota of athletes vs. non-athletes (n = 8); and the microbiota status at different stages of athletic performance or intervention (n = 7), with various of physical activities, sport disciplines, and activity duration. Literature searches were completed using four databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and EBSCO, and 2090 articles were retrieved by using appropriate keywords. The low heterogeneity of the studies hasn’t allowed us to prepare a meta-analysis. After excluding 2052 articles, we ultimately selected 38 articles that met the eligibility criteria for this review. Results The data analyses revealed that in non-athletes rising physical activity markedly influenced the relative abundance of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA). Aerobic training that lasted 60 min, and physical activity that characterized 60% HRmax or more also influenced beta diversity indexes. The results showed that athletes harbor a more diverse type of intestinal microflora than non-athletes, but with a relatively reduced abundance of SCFA- and lactic acid-producing bacteria, thereby suggesting an adverse effect of intense exercise on the population of gut microbiota. Conclusion It is concluded that the level of physical activity modulates the gastrointestinal microbiota in humans. For a long period, increasing the intensity and volume of exercise may lead to gut dysbiosis. Perhaps, proper supplementation should be considered to keep gut microbiota in large biodiversity and richness, especially under unfavorable gut conditions associated with intense exercise. Trial registration Prospero CRD42021264064.

The Effect of Exercise Prescription on the Human Gut Microbiota and Comparison between Clinical and Apparently Healthy Populations: A Systematic Review

“…Exercise may then help to upregulate genera commonly considered to be contributory to health through SCFA (particularly butyrate) production [ 68 , 69 , 70 ]. Regardless, it is important to note that across both healthy and clinical populations, the genera most commonly reported to change in response to exercise training appear to be those significantly involved in SCFA production [ 16 ].…”

“…In 2020, a second systematic review was published, and this included 18 studies in humans, with half of those being cross-sectional in design [ 13 ]. More recent reviews have included cross-sectional studies ( n = 25) [ 14 ], older adults only ( n = 7) [ 15 ] or excluded those with clinical conditions and included cross-sectional studies ( n = 38) [ 16 ]. While the early cross-sectional data have been invaluable for describing potential relationships between exercise and gut microbiota, these studies could not address the large interindividual variability in the composition of the gut microbiome in the same way as longitudinal studies have been able to do since.…”

The Related Metabolic Diseases and Treatments of Obesity

“…All these factors are associated with obesity-induced comorbidities. Many factors can cause an alteration of the gut microbiota profile to impact obesity, including diet [ 128 ], BS [ 109 ], physical activity [ 129 , 130 ], probiotics (e.g., Bifidobacterium and Lacticaseibacillus ) [ 131 , 132 ], prebiotics, and synbiotics (containing both probiotic and prebiotic components).…”

Intersection of Diet and Exercise with the Gut Microbiome and Circulating Metabolites in Male Bodybuilders: A Pilot Study

“…Yet, individual factors are the main determinant of athletic performance. In recent years, with the recognition of the significance of the gut microbiome in modulating metabolism, there has been an increasing interest in the contribution of the gut microbiome to individuality in athletic outcomes [ 4 , 5 , 6 ].…”

“…in the five days post-marathon compared to pre-marathon [ 16 ]. However, recent reviews indicated that there were no specific microbial taxa, or community composition consistently associated with exercise regimes or athletic performance level [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Furthermore, while studies found differences between the microbiotas of athletes and sedentary individuals, the variation between individuals was often greater [ 19 , 20 , 21 ].…”