Intensive, prolonged exercise seemingly causes gut dysbiosis in female endurance runners.

So Morishima, Wataru Aoi, Aki Kawamura, Takahiro Kawase, Tomohisa Takagi, Yuji Naito, Takamitsu Tsukahara, Ryo Inoue

Journal: Journal of clinical biochemistry and nutrition 2020;68(3):253-258

PMID: 34025029

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Plain Language Summary

Athletes are more predisposed to experience gastrointestinal disorders after practices and competition, which is known as exercise-induced gastrointestinal syndrome. The aim of this study was to understand the effect of highly intensive endurance exercise on the gut microbiota for the possible development of future treatments of exercise-induced gastrointestinal disorders. The study compared the gut environment (gut microbiota and its metabolites) between female elite endurance runners and non-athletic, but healthy women of similar age living within close geographic locations. Results indicate that female elite endurance runners had gut microbiotas and metabolites profiles that differed from those observed in age-matching female controls. Furthermore, the female elite endurance runners had higher levels of the gut bacteria, Faecalibacterium. Authors conclude that further studies are needed to evaluate the relationship between the microbiota and the production of bacterial metabolites in the gut of athletes.

Abstract

Intensive, prolonged exercise is known to induce gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea, with gut dysbiosis suggested as being one of the causatives. In the present study, we wanted to investigate the relationship between intensive exercise and the gut microbiota status. To that end, the microbiota, the moisture content and the bacterial metabolites (e.g., organic acids) of female endurance runners ( = 15) and those of non-athletic but healthy, age-matching female controls ( = 14) were compared. The analysis of the gut microbiota analysis showed that, unlike control subjects, female endurance runners had distinct microbiotas, with some bacteria found in higher abundances likely being involved in gut inflammation. The concentration of succinate, a gut bacterial metabolite regarded as undesirable when accumulated in the lumen, was significantly (<0.05) higher in the female endurance runners. , that was significantly (<0.05) abundant in female endurance runners, can produce succinate in certain environments and hence may contribute to succinate accumulation, at least partly. The present work suggested that the gut microbiotas of female endurance runners are seemingly dysbiotic when compared with those of control subjects. Further investigation of the mechanism by which intensive, prolonged exercise affects the gut microbiota is recommended.

Address: Laboratory of Animal Science, Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Setsunan University, 45-1 Nagaotoge-cho, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0101, Japan.; Laboratory of Animal Science, Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University, 1-5 Hangi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8522, Japan.; Laboratory of Nutrition Science, Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University, 1-5 Hangi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8522, Japan.; Sports Science Research Promotion Center, Nippon Sport Science University, 7-1-1 Fukasawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-8508, Japan.; Kyoto Institute of Nutrition & Pathology, Ujitawara, Kyoto 610-0231, Japan.; Department for Medical Innovation and Translational Medical Science, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan.; Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan.

DOI: 10.3164/jcbn.20-131