The impact of a competitive event and the efficacy of a lactic acid bacteria-fermented soymilk extract on the gut microbiota and urinary metabolites of endurance athletes: An open-label pilot study

Abstract

Diet and exercise can alter the gut microbiota, but recent studies have assessed the impact of athletic competition on gut microbiota and host metabolites. We designed an open-label pilot study to investigate the effects of both official competition and a multi-strain lactic acid bacteria-fermented soymilk extract (LEX) on the gut microbiota in Japanese college endurance athletes. The analysis of fecal 16S rRNA metagenome and urinary metabolites was used to identify changes in gut microbiota composition and host metabolism. When the fecal microbiota were investigated before and after a race without using of a supplement (pre-observation period), there was an increase in the phylum Firmicutes and decrease in Bacteroidetes. However, no changes in these phyla were seen before and after a race in those who consumed LEX. Before and after LEX ingestion, changes in urinary metabolites included a significant reduction in yeast and fungal markers, neurotransmitters, and mitochondrial metabolites including the TCA cycle. There were several correlations between urinary metabolites and the composition of fecal microbiota. For example, the level of tricarballylic acid was positively correlated with the composition ratio of phylum Firmicutes (Pearson’s r = 0.66; p < 0.01). The bacterial species Parabacteroides distasonis was also found to correlate moderately with several urinary metabolites. These findings suggest two possibilities. First, endurance athletes experience significant fluctuations in gut microbiota after a single competition. Second, LEX ingestion may improve yeast and fungal overgrowth in the gastrointestinal tract and enhancing mitochondrial metabolic function.

Next-generation sequencing of the athletic gut microbiota: a systematic review

“…An association between whey protein intake and the β-diversity of the adult gut virome was found, while no major changes in the functional activity of the gut microbiota were determined, with the exception of urinary levels of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and phenylacetylglycine (PAG) excretion. Similarly, Moitinho-Silva et al elucidated taxonomic differences, a significant increase in lymphocytes and a decrease in mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration in healthy sedentary adults exposed to strength training [23] . No change in dietary patterns towards the end of the intervention period and after it was observed.…”

“…With regard to Dorea longicatena, this taxon is associated with insulin sensitivity [17,33] . In addition, high abundances of Lachnospiraceae were determined in marathon runners and skiers [22] , while Coprococcus, Parasutterella genera and Ruminococcaceae family were increased in physically active individuals [23] .…”

“…Specifically, participant recruitment involved elite athletes from several disciplines, including: rugby players [14] , marathon runners (professional and non-professional) [16,18,22] , endurance athletes [24,28] , competitive cyclists [19] , rowers [16,17,25] , skiers [22] , football and cricket players [27,29] , and other athletes across 16 different sports [20] . In addition, some studies characterised the microbiota of physically active senior orienteers [21] , as well as healthy but sedentary adults exposed to endurance and strength training [23] , and short-term exercise regime [15] . It should be noted that most of these studies compared microbiota profiles of athletes and physically-active participants to sedentary controls [Table 3].…”

Effect of Fermented Red Ginseng Concentrate Intake on Stool Characteristic, Biochemical Parameters, and Gut Microbiota in Elderly Korean Women

“…Glycosaminoglycan Degradation Pathway Components Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are a major component of the animal's extracellular matrix and are degraded by some bacteria, such as probiotics [53]. In a previous study, the abundance of Parabacteroides and P. disstasonis was reported to be relatively low in obese, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, and to be abundant in a group of patients with hyperglycemic improvement [54,55]. In this study, galacto-oligosaccharides, a prebiotic contained in FRG, promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut.…”

Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior and Microbiome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

“…Sixteen studies found significant differences in microbial diversity 47,49,62,[74][75][76]79,80,51,52,[54][55][56][57][58]61 and 13 in the abundance of specific microbial taxa 47,52,78,79,104,53,[55][56][57][58][74][75][76] between athletes vs. non-athletes, professional vs. amateur or athletes from different sports. Three studies detected significant differences in alpha-diversity 89,90,92 , while 8 studies described significant changes in the relative abundance of certain bacteria after acute PA interventions 23,86,87,[89][90][91][92][93] . Seventeen studies detected significant differences in alphaand/or beta-diversity 94,95,115,[117][118][119][120]123,125,98,101,…”