Potential benefits and hazards of physical activity and exercise on the gastrointestinal tract

Voluntary Running Exercise Alters Microbiota Composition and Increases n-Butyrate Concentration in the Rat Cecum

“…[3][4][5] Although it is plausibly suggested from those studies that exercise may affect such aspects of the gastrointestinal environment as gut motility, microbiota composition and SCFA production, almost no scientific evidence for these effects of exercise has been provided to date. To elucidate the impact of exercise on the gastrointestinal environment, we investigated changes in cecal microbiota and SCFA profiles by using a program of voluntary wheel-running exercise in rats.…”

“…Several studies have indicated an inverse relationship between exercise and the risk of gastrointestinal diseases such as colon cancer, diverticular disease, cholelithiasis and constipation. 3) In particular, some of these studies have shown that exercise reduced the risk of colon cancer in both humans and animals. 4,5) Regardless of the amount and type of exercise, there is consistent evidence that humans and animals who exercise are at a reduced risk of colon cancer (up to 50% reduction in incidence).…”

Colon Cancer and Physical Activity: A Content Analysis of Reciprocal Relationship

“…The mechanisms of action, however, have been mostly hypothesized (Slattery et al 1997;McTiernan et al 1998;Thune and Furgber, 2001;Peters et al 2001).…”

The Relationship between Physical Activity Level and Completion Rate of Small Bowel Examination in Patients Undergoing Capsule Endoscopy

“…It is generally taken for granted that physical activity stimulates bowel motility. Since exercise may accelerate gut transit of chyme and fecal residues (16)(17)(18), we thought that physical activity would enhance the CR in CE. The aim of the present retrospective study was to fully understand the relationship between the patient's physical activity level and the CR during CE examinations.…”