Research is shedding new light on the connections between the gut microbiome, gut bacteria and exercise.
For example, recent studies show that an individual’s gut microbiome can change, depending on how much exercise they get and there is a correlation between cardiorespiratory fitness and increased microbial diversity in healthy humans. Also, elite athletes demonstrate unique beneficial and diverse microbiome characteristics.
Explore the research articles listed below to learn more about these insights and uncover further links between the gut microbiome and exercise.
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Allen, J. M. et al.
Exercise alters gut microbiota composition and function in lean and obese humans.
Med. Sci. Sports Exerc.50(4): 747-757. (2018). Doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001495
Barton W., et al.
The microbiome of professional athletes differs from that of more sedentary subjects in composition and particularly at the functional metabolic level.
Gut 67(4): 625-633. (2018). Doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2016-313627
Cerdá, B. et al.
Gut microbiota modification: another piece in the puzzle of the benefits of physical exercise in health?.
Front. Physiol. 7, 51 (2016). Doi: 10.3389/fphys.2016.00051
Estaki, M. et al.
Cardiorespiratory fitness as a predictor of intestinal microbial diversity and distinct metagenomic functions.
Microbiome 4, 42 (2016). Doi: 10.1186/s40168-016-0189-7
Mach, N. & Fuster-Botella, D.
Endurance exercise and gut microbiota: A review.
Journal of Sport and Health Science 6(2): 179-197. (2017). Doi: 10.1016/j.jshs.2016.05.001
Mitchell, C.M., et al.
Does exercise alter gut microbial composition? - a systematic review.
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 51(1): 160-167. (2018). Doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001760
Munukka, E., et al.
Six-week endurance exercise alters gut metagenome that is not reflected in systemic metabolism in over-weight women.
Frontiers in Microbiology 9, 2323 (2018). Doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02323
Yang, Y. et al.
The association between cardiorespiratory fitness and gut microbiota composition in premenopausal women.
Nutrients 9, 792 (2017). Doi: 10.3390/nu9080792
Zhao, X., et al.
Response of gut microbiota to metabolite changes induced by endurance exercise.
Frontiers in Microbiology 9, 765 (2018). Doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00765