Cited by 225Gut microbiota and healthProbiotics and Fermented FoodsGastrointestinal motility and disorders

The combination of sport and sport-specific diet is associated with characteristics of gut microbiota: an observational study

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Jang, Lae-Guen, Choi, Geunhoon, Kim, Sung-Woo, Kim, Byung-Yong, Lee, Sunghee, Park, Hyon·2019·Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Recently, gut microbiota have been studied extensively for health promotion, disease prevention, disease treatment, and exercise performance. It is recommended that athletes avoid dietary fiber and resistant starch to promote gastric emptying and reduce gastrointestinal distress during exercise, but this diet may reduce microbial diversity and compromise the health of the athlete's gut microbiota. OBJECTIVE: This study compared fecal microbiota characteristics using high-throughput sequencing among healthy sedentary men (as controls), bodybuilders, and distance runners, as well as the relationships between microbiota characteristics, body composition, and nutritional status. METHODS: Body composition was measured using DXA, and physical activity level was assessed using IPAQ. Dietary intake was analyzed with the computerized nutritional evaluation program. The DNA of fecal samples was extracted and it was sequenced for the analysis of gut microbial diversity through bioinformatics cloud platform. RESULTS: We showed that exercise type was associated with athlete diet patterns (bodybuilders: high protein, high fat, low carbohydrate, and low dietary fiber diet; distance runners: low carbohydrate and low dietary fiber diet). However, athlete type did not differ in regard to gut microbiota alpha and beta diversity. Athlete type was significantly associated with the relative abundance of gut microbiota at the genus and species level: Faecalibacterium, Sutterella, Clostridium, Haemophilus, and Eisenbergiella were the highest (p < 0.05) in bodybuilders, while Bifidobacterium and Parasutterella were the lowest (p < 0.05). At the species level, intestinal beneficial bacteria widely used as probiotics (Bifidobacterium adolescentis group, Bifidobacterium longum group, Lactobacillus sakei group) and those producing short chain fatty acids (Blautia wexlerae, Eubacterium hallii) were the lowest in bodybuilders and the highest in controls. In addition, aerobic or resistance exercise training with an unbalanced intake of macronutrients and low intake of dietary fiber led to similar diversity of gut microbiota. Specifically, daily protein intake was negatively correlated with operation taxonomic unit (r = - 0.53, p < 0.05), ACE (r = - 0.51, p < 0.05), and Shannon index (r = - 0.64, p < 0.01) in distance runners.. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that high-protein diets may have a negative impact on gut microbiota diversity for athletes, while athletes in resistance sports that carry out the high protein low carbohydrates diet demonstrate a decrease in short chain fatty acid-producing commensal bacteria.

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  • At the genus level, Faecalibacterium, Sutterella, Clostridium, Haemophilus, and Eisenbergiella were the highest, while Bifidobacterium and Parasutterella were the lowest in bodybuilders.

    “For instance, at the genus level, Faecalibacterium, Sutterella, Clostridium, Haemophilus, and Eisenbergiella were the highest, while Bifidobacterium and Parasutterella were the lowest in bodybuilders.”

    From The athletic gut microbiota (2020) · cites this paper as [11]

  • In bodybuilders, fat intake was negatively correlated with Bifidobacteria (R = −0.52; P = 0.05).

    “In distance runners, protein intake was negatively correlated with diversity (Shannon index R = − 0.63; P = 0.01) and in bodybuilders, fat intake was negatively correlated with Bifidobacteria (R = − 0.52; P = 0.05).”

    From The athletic gut microbiota (2020) · cites this paper as [11]

  • Athlete type did not differ regarding gut microbiota alpha and beta diversity but was significantly associated with the relative abundance of several bacteria.

    “While athlete type did not differ regarding gut microbiota alpha and beta diversity, it was significantly associated with the relative abundance of several bacteria.”

    From The athletic gut microbiota (2020) · cites this paper as [11]

  • Exercise type was associated with athlete diet patterns: bodybuilders had a high-protein, high-fat, low-carbohydrate, and low-dietary fiber diet; distance runners had a low-carbohydrate and low-dietary fiber diet.

    “Exercise type was associated with athlete diet patterns (i.e., bodybuilders: high-protein, high-fat, and low-carbohydrate/dietary fiber diet; distance runners: low-carbohydrate and low-dietary fiber diet).”

    From The athletic gut microbiota (2020) · cites this paper as [11]

  • In distance runners, protein intake was negatively correlated with diversity (Shannon index R = −0.63; P = 0.01).

    “In distance runners, protein intake was negatively correlated with diversity (Shannon index R = − 0.63; P = 0.01) and in bodybuilders, fat intake was negatively correlated with Bifidobacteria (R = − 0.52; P = 0.05).”

    From The athletic gut microbiota (2020) · cites this paper as [11]

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Authors
Jang, L.-G., Choi, G., Kim, S.-W., Kim, B.-Y., Lee, S., & Park, H.
Affiliations
  • Kyung Hee University (KR)
  • ChunLab, Inc. Seocho-gu Seoul Republic of Korea
  • Ildong (South Korea) (KR)
Corresponding author
Park, Hyon
Venue
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
Published
2019-01-15
Volume
16
Issue
1
Pages
21-21
ISSN
1550-2783 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2947024351
Cited by
224
References
59
Citations by year
2026: 19 · 2025: 26 · 2024: 47 · 2023: 32 · 2022: 44 · 2021: 38 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 3 · 2017: 1
FWCI
8.27
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
National Research Foundation of Kore (NRF-2016S1A5A2A01023587)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
Keywords
gut microbiota, sports nutrition, bodybuilders, long-distance runners, high-protein diet, dietary fiber, gut microbiota diversity, short-chain fatty acids, Bifidobacterium, Faecalibacterium, Clostridium, exercise type, body composition, macronutrient intake, probiotics, sedentary men, Shannon diversity index, physical activity level, nutritional status
MeSH terms
Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Adult, Bacteria, Body Composition, Diet, Dietary Fiber, Dietary Proteins, Fatty Acids, Volatile, Humans, Male, Sports, Case-Control Studies, Young Adult, Sports Nutritional Physiological Phenomena

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