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Exercise Alters Gut Microbiota Composition and Function in Lean and Obese Humans
Abstract
PURPOSE: Exercise is associated with altered gut microbial composition, but studies have not investigated whether the gut microbiota and associated metabolites are modulated by exercise training in humans. We explored the impact of 6 wk of endurance exercise on the composition, functional capacity, and metabolic output of the gut microbiota in lean and obese adults with multiple-day dietary controls before outcome variable collection. METHODS: Thirty-two lean (n = 18 [9 female]) and obese (n = 14 [11 female]), previously sedentary subjects participated in 6 wk of supervised, endurance-based exercise training (3 d·wk) that progressed from 30 to 60 min·d and from moderate (60% of HR reserve) to vigorous intensity (75% HR reserve). Subsequently, participants returned to a sedentary lifestyle activity for a 6-wk washout period. Fecal samples were collected before and after 6 wk of exercise, as well as after the sedentary washout period, with 3-d dietary controls in place before each collection. RESULTS: β-diversity analysis revealed that exercise-induced alterations of the gut microbiota were dependent on obesity status. Exercise increased fecal concentrations of short-chain fatty acids in lean, but not obese, participants. Exercise-induced shifts in metabolic output of the microbiota paralleled changes in bacterial genes and taxa capable of short-chain fatty acid production. Lastly, exercise-induced changes in the microbiota were largely reversed once exercise training ceased. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that exercise training induces compositional and functional changes in the human gut microbiota that are dependent on obesity status, independent of diet and contingent on the sustainment of exercise.
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“To date, one study showed that exercise induced compositional changes in the human gut microbiota that were more pronounced in lean than in obese (Allen et al., 2017).”
From Six-Week Endurance Exercise Alters Gut Metagenome That Is not Reflected in Systemic Metabolism in Over-weight Women (2018) · cites this paper as Allen et al., 2017
In the citing paper
“The authors concluded that the shifts were dependent on the obesity status and were reversed after cessation of the training.”
From Six-Week Endurance Exercise Alters Gut Metagenome That Is not Reflected in Systemic Metabolism in Over-weight Women (2018) · cites this paper as Allen et al., 2017
In the citing paper
“It was recently demonstrated by targeted gene amplification, not metagenomics, that in addition to the influence on the gut microbiota composition, exercise training increased the gene encoding butyrate forming Butyryl CoA: Acetate CoA transferase (Allen et al., 2017)”
From Six-Week Endurance Exercise Alters Gut Metagenome That Is not Reflected in Systemic Metabolism in Over-weight Women (2018) · cites this paper as Allen et al., 2017
In the citing paper
“while in a human study it increased after cessation of the training and not in response to exercise (Allen et al., 2017).”
From Six-Week Endurance Exercise Alters Gut Metagenome That Is not Reflected in Systemic Metabolism in Over-weight Women (2018) · cites this paper as Allen et al., 2017
In the citing paper
“But interestingly, contradictory findings from the human exercise interventions have been recently presented (Allen et al., 2017; Cronin et al., 2018).”
From Six-Week Endurance Exercise Alters Gut Metagenome That Is not Reflected in Systemic Metabolism in Over-weight Women (2018) · cites this paper as Allen et al., 2017
In the citing paper
“On the other hand, similar to our results, Allen and co-workers reported compositional and β-diversity changes of the microbiota in response to six-weeks endurance training that resembled the intervention of our study (Allen et al., 2017).”
From Six-Week Endurance Exercise Alters Gut Metagenome That Is not Reflected in Systemic Metabolism in Over-weight Women (2018) · cites this paper as Allen et al., 2017
In the citing paper
“Notably, the study also found that a return to sedentary lifestyle for 6 weeks reversed changes in the gut microbiota observed after exercise training, again indicating the sensitivity of the gut microbiome to physical activity.”
From Influence of the Gut Microbiome, Diet, and Environment on Risk of Colorectal Cancer (2020) · cites this paper as [113]
In the citing paper
“Exercise training is a well-known modulator of gut microbiota composition, improving biodiversity and representation of taxa with purported health-promoting significance [26,131].”
From Gut Microbiota, Muscle Mass and Function in Aging: A Focus on Physical Frailty and Sarcopenia (2019) · cites this paper as [131]
In the citing paper
“After the washout period, exercise-induced changes in the microbiota were largely reversed once exercise training ceased.”
From The athletic gut microbiota (2020) · cites this paper as [98]
In the citing paper
“In a longitudinal research design, Allen et al. [98] reported for the first time that exercise training can modulate the composition and metabolic capacity of the human gut microbiota in previously sedentary individuals.”
From The athletic gut microbiota (2020) · cites this paper as [98]
In the citing paper
“Exercise-induced modulations of the gut microbiota and SCFA were strongly associated with changes in body composition in lean participants and VO2max in obese participants, independent of diet.”
From The athletic gut microbiota (2020) · cites this paper as [98]
In the citing paper
“Of note, the exercise induced shifts in SCFA-producing taxa (Faecalibacterium species [spp.] and Lachnospira spp.) and genetic machinery (butyrate-regulating gene, BCoAT) were more substantial in lean versus obese participants.”
From The athletic gut microbiota (2020) · cites this paper as [98]
In the citing paper
“Once these participants ceased training, exercise-induced changes in the microbiota were largely reversed when re-measured after a 6-week sedentary period109.”
From Exerkines in health, resilience and disease (2022) · cites this paper as [109]
In the citing paper
“In humans, chronic exercise altered the gut microbiome to increase availability of short chain fatty acids, particularly butyrate109.”
From Exerkines in health, resilience and disease (2022) · cites this paper as [109]
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“Physical Activity Several studies have documented that exercise contributes to the human gut microbiota alternation (Shukla et al., 2015; Allen et al., 2018).”
BackgroundStandards for Collection, Preservation, and Transportation of Fecal Samples in TCM Clinical Trials
Su, W., Du, Y., Lian, F., Wu, H., Zhang, X., Yang, W., Duan, Y., Pan, Y., Liu, W., Wu, A., et al. (2022) · Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology · doi:10.3389/fcimb.2022.783682 · Cited by 19
Gut Microbiota and Obesity: The Chicken or the Egg?
Tassoni, D. S., Macedo, R. C. O., Delpino, F. M., & Santos, H. O. (2023) · Obesities · doi:10.3390/obesities3040024 · Cited by 17
Ostrowska, J., Samborowska, E., Jaworski, M., Toczyłowska, K., & Szostak-Węgierek, D. E. (2024) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu16020266 · Cited by 18
Martinović, A., Mantovani, M., Trpchevska, N., Novak, E., Milev, N. B., Bode, L., Ewald, C. Y., Bischof, E. Y., Reichmuth, T., Lapides, R. A., et al. (2024) · Frontiers in Aging · doi:10.3389/fragi.2024.1495029 · Cited by 19
Yang, W., Si, S.-C., Wang, W., Li, J., Ma, Y.-X., Zhao, H., & Liu, J. (2025) · Frontiers in Microbiology · doi:10.3389/fmicb.2025.1526764 · Cited by 18
Modulation of oral microbiota: A new frontier in exercise supplementation
Bescós, R., Brookes, Z. L. S., Belfield, L., Fernández‐Sanjurjo, M., & Casas‐Agustench, P. (2020) · PharmaNutrition · doi:10.1016/j.phanu.2020.100230 · Cited by 16
“Research on exercise and the human microbiome has mainly focussed on gut bacteria, with several studies reporting different compositions and activities of the gut microbiome in trained individuals compared to sedentary ones (4, 5, 67-73).”
A Bibliometric Analysis on the Research Trend of Exercise and the Gut Microbiome
Deng, R., Wang, M., Song, Y., & Shi, Y. (2023) · Microorganisms · doi:10.3390/microorganisms11040903 · Cited by 21
“[17] 2018 Article Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise Exercise Alters Gut Microbiota Composition and Function in Lean and Obese Humans 279”
Wu, Z., & Wang, H. X. (2018) · SN Comprehensive Clinical Medicine · doi:10.1007/s42399-018-0033-4 · Cited by 20
“obesity status and the persistence of exercise, not diet [35].”
BackgroundPrevention of excessive exercise‐induced adverse effects in rats withBacillus subtilisBSB3
Ducray, H. A. G., Globa, L. P., Pustovyy, O. M., Roberts, M. D., Rudisill, M. E., Vodyanoy, V. J., & Sorokulova, I. B. (2019) · Journal of Applied Microbiology · doi:10.1111/jam.14544 · Cited by 16
“Regular moderate exercise reduces the incidence of inflammatory diseases, has protective effect against cancer, gastrointestinal disorders and obesity (Martin 2011; Kruk and Czerniak 2013; Allen et al. 2018).”
BackgroundHeadley, S., Chapman, D. J., Germain, M. J., Evans, E. E., Hutchinson, J., Madsen, K. L., Ikizler, T. A., Miele, E. M., Kirton, K., O’Neill, E., et al. (2020) · BMC Nephrology · doi:10.1186/s12882-020-02177-x · Cited by 16
Deng, D., Lin, X., Liu, Y., Li, C., Jiang, Q., Shi, J., Feng, S., & Lin, Y. (2025) · Lipids in Health and Disease · doi:10.1186/s12944-025-02565-y · Cited by 15
“…whose metabolite butyric acid not only improves intestinal barrier integrity, but also activates hepatic AMPK-PPARα signaling [84], which directly ameliorates hepatic steatosis by inhibiting the expression of lipogenic genes, such as ACCα and LXRα, and by promoting CPT-1-mediated β-oxidation [63].”
Luo, C., Yu, X. F., Zeng, M.-Q., Duan, C., Xu, S., Zhu, C., Zheng, Z., Da Yu, S. U. N., Fang, J., & He, D. (2025) · World Journal of Diabetes · doi:10.4239/wjd.v16.i7.107406 · Cited by 15
Morishima, S., Oda, N., Ikeda, H., Segawa, T., Oda, M., Tsukahara, T., Kawase, Y., Takagi, T., Naito, Y., Fujibayashi, M., et al. (2021) · Microorganisms · doi:10.3390/microorganisms9081687 · Cited by 15
“In addition, exercise has been shown to help increase the alpha-diversity in the gut microbiota of both animals and humans [7,8].”
BackgroundHouttu, V., Boulund, U., Nicolaou, M., Holleboom, A. G., Grefhorst, A., Galenkamp, H., van den Born, B. H., Zwinderman, A. H., & Nieuwdorp, M. (2021) · Metabolites · doi:10.3390/metabo11120858 · Cited by 18
“Lachnospiraceae has also been linked to the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) upon exercise; the concentrations of fecal SCFA correlated positively with Lachnospiraceae in lean women upon an aerobic exercise program [38].”
BackgroundZhou, J., Tang, M., Li, W., Fang, R., Tang, C., & Wang, Q. (2023) · Food Science and Human Wellness · doi:10.26599/fshw.2022.9250049 · Cited by 16
It’s Dead! Can Postbiotics Really Help Performance and Recovery? A Systematic Review
Kerksick, C. M., Moon, J. M., & Jäger, R. (2024) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu16050720 · Cited by 15
“Moreover, evidence also suggests that differences in dietary composition and fitness status of exercising individuals may also invoke differences in the gut microbiome composition and function [16,19].”
BackgroundBatitucci, G., de Almeida, O. G. G., Martinis, E. C. P. D., Solar, I., Cintra, D. E., & de Freitas, E. C. (2024) · American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism · doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00310.2023 · Cited by 17
The role of the gut microbiota in neurodegenerative diseases targeting metabolism
Fu, Y., Gu, Z., Cao, H., Zuo, C., Huang, Y., Song, Y., Jiang, Y., & Wang, F. (2024) · Frontiers in Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnins.2024.1432659 · Cited by 17
Investigating the Role of Diet and Exercise in Gut Microbe-Host Cometabolism
Penney, N. C., Barton, W., Posma, J. M., Darzi, A. W., Frost, G. S., Cotter, P. D., Holmes, E. C., Shanahan, F., O’Sullivan, Ó., & García‐Pérez, I. (2020) · mSystems · doi:10.1128/msystems.00677-20 · Cited by 19
“acids (SCFA) as well as improved glucose homeostasis (7, 11, 12).”
BackgroundWu, L., Zhou, M., Xie, Y., Lang, H., Li, T., Yi, L., Zhang, Q., & Mi, M. (2022) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu14214583 · Cited by 15
“Previous research has shown that elevated abundance of SCFAs-producing bacteria such as Clostridiales, Lachnospira, and Roseburia in the exercise training group [18].”
BackgroundGut Microbiota and Alzheimer’s Disease: Pathophysiology and Therapeutic Perspectives
Li, Y., Wang, R., Li, Q., Wang, Y., & Guo, J. (2021) · Journal of Alzheimer s Disease · doi:10.3233/jad-210381 · Cited by 16
The Role of Human Microbiota in Myasthenia Gravis: A Narrative Review
Schirò, G., Iacono, S., & Balistreri, C. R. (2023) · Neurology International · doi:10.3390/neurolint15010026 · Cited by 16
“Resistance-based training was able to promote the production of SCFAs as well as reduce potentially harmful bacteria such as Bacteroides and instead increase Faecalibacterium and Lachnospira [31].”
BackgroundCommon traits between the beige fat-inducing stimuli
Stojanović, O., Kieser, S., & Trajkovski, M. (2018) · Current Opinion in Cell Biology · doi:10.1016/j.ceb.2018.05.011 · Cited by 13
Mayengbam, S., Mickiewicz, B., Trottier, S. K., Mu, C., Wright, D. C., Reimer, R. A., Vogel, H. J., & Shearer, J. (2019) · Journal of Proteome Research · doi:10.1021/acs.jproteome.9b00304 · Cited by 14
Walshe, N., Cabrera‐Rubio, R., Collins, R., Puggioni, A., Gath, V., Crispie, F., Cotter, P. D., Brennan, L., Mulcahy, G. M., & Duggan, V. E. (2021) · Frontiers in Veterinary Science · doi:10.3389/fvets.2021.668120 · Cited by 14
“In a study comparing lean to obese adults, the effect of exercise was transient and reversible (85).”
BackgroundWu, G. G., Tawfeeq, H. R., Lackey, A. I., Zhou, Y., Sifnakis, Z., Zacharisen, S. M., Xu, H.-L., Doran, J. M., Sampath, H., Zhao, L., et al. (2022) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu14091762 · Cited by 14
“Recent human studies have highlighted that exercise can stimulate changes in the gut microbiota associated with higher SCFA production [75,76].”
BackgroundMetabolic phenotyping of the human microbiome
Barton, W., O’Sullivan, Ó., & Cotter, P. D. (2019) · F1000Research · doi:10.12688/f1000research.19481.1 · Cited by 14
Association between gut microbial dysbiosis and Alzheimer’s disease: an umbrella review
Kumari, S., Desai, V., Sivakumar, S., Sikri, K., & Kumar, M. (2025) · npj Dementia · doi:10.1038/s44400-025-00048-6 · Cited by 17
“Allen et al. 72 have also shown this in humans through a longitudinal study where women who were initially sedentary took part in 6 weeks of supervised aerobic exercise three times a week.”
Hutchinson, N. T., Wang, S. S., DOKHANCHI, J., Johnson, R. W., Buford, T. W., Allen, J. M., & Woods, J. A. (2022) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1249/mss.0000000000003051 · Cited by 15
Self-citationYu, C., Zhang, P., Liu, S., Niu, Y., & Fu, L. (2023) · Food Science and Human Wellness · doi:10.1016/j.fshw.2023.03.004 · Cited by 13
Lifestyle Medicine as a Treatment for Resistant Hypertension
Ribeiro, F., Teixeira, M., Alves, A. J., Sherwood, A., & Blumenthal, J. A. (2023) · Current Hypertension Reports · doi:10.1007/s11906-023-01253-5 · Cited by 19
Antidepressant properties of voluntary exercise mediated by gut microbiota
Watanabe, C., Oyanagi, E., Aoki, T., Hamada, H., Kawashima, M., Yamagata, T., Kremenik, M. J., & Yano, H. (2023) · Bioscience Biotechnology and Biochemistry · doi:10.1093/bbb/zbad115 · Cited by 14
Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis: A Neglected Risk Factor for Male and Female Fertility
Beni, F. A., Saffarfar, H., Elhami, A., & Kazemi, M. (2024) · Cellular Microbiology · doi:10.1155/cmi/7808354 · Cited by 14
RETRACTED: Cardiovascular Disease and Exercise: From Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Applications
Wang, B., Gan, L., Deng, Y., Zhu, S., Li, G., Nasser, M. I., Liu, N., & Zhu, P. (2022) · Journal of Clinical Medicine · doi:10.3390/jcm11247511 · Cited by 16
RetractedSardeli, A. V., Castro, A., Gadelha, V. B., dos Santos, W. M., Lord, J. M., Cavaglieri, C. R., & Chacon‐Mikahil, M. P. T. (2022) · Metabolites · doi:10.3390/metabo12111041 · Cited by 13
“The training intervention also affected the production of the ketone 3-hydroxybutyrate, possibly mediated by the positive effect of extended exercise training on the gut microbiome, which leads to an increase in the butyrate-producing bacteria [51,52].”
BackgroundBidirectional Link Between Exercise and the Gut Microbiota
Huang, B., Zhao, L., & Campbell, S. C. (2024) · Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews · doi:10.1249/jes.0000000000000343 · Cited by 12
“Training studies focused on gut microbiota compositional and functional changes have also revealed that exercise is beneficial (26 – 28).”
InfluentialTherapeutic Mechanisms of Exercise in Parkinson’s Disease
Wilson, A. C., Pountney, D. L., & Khoo, T. K. (2025) · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · doi:10.3390/ijms26104860 · Cited by 14
“Importantly, some studies have noted that the positive effects of exercise on the gut microbiota were reversed after cessation of a regular exercise routine [112].”
Wang, Y., Bai, S., Yang, T., Guo, J.-J., Zhu, X., & Dong, Y. (2025) · Cell Regeneration · doi:10.1186/s13619-025-00244-y · Cited by 14
“Previous evidence has emerged that exercise is associated with alterations in the gut microbiota (Allen et al. 2018; Hama-saki 2017).”
Barraza-Ortega, E., Gómez‐Gil, B., García-Gasca, T., Lizárraga, D., Díaz, N., & García-Gasca, A. (2025) · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · doi:10.3390/ijms26178574 · Cited by 18
“Moderate, regular exercise has been shown to positively influence the gut microbiota, increase bacterial diversity, and improve the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio [124].”
Lin, W., Pu, L., Qian, X., Pan, J., Cheng, R., & Sun, P. (2025) · Frontiers in Microbiology · doi:10.3389/fmicb.2025.1671975 · Cited by 17
The potential for Treg-enhancing therapies in tissue, in particular skeletal muscle, regeneration
Hanna, B. S., Yaghi, O., Langston, P. K., & Mathis, D. J. (2022) · Clinical & Experimental Immunology · doi:10.1093/cei/uxac076 · Cited by 14
Morán‐Ramos, S., Siliceo-Bernardi, M. T., Villalpando‐Carrión, S., Canizales‐Quinteros, S., Frigolet, M. E., & Gutiérrez‐Aguilar, R. (2022) · Boletín Médico del Hospital Infantil de México · doi:10.24875/bmhim.22000008 · Cited by 13
“Moreover, physical activation induces an increased number of short-chain fatty acid-producing species 22 , contributing to a healthy state 23 .”
Hes, C., & Jagoe, R. T. (2023) · BJC Reports · doi:10.1038/s44276-023-00008-8 · Cited by 12
“Furthermore, increases in both lean mass and Faecalibacterium relative abundance are observed in normal weight subjects after exercise training [110].”
BackgroundEskandar, K. (2025) · Middle East Current Psychiatry · doi:10.1186/s43045-025-00585-z · Cited by 13
“Exercise interventions increase microbial diversity and SCFA-producing taxa: controlled human studies report rises in fecal SCFA concentrations after weeks of structured aerobic training [143].”
Li, Q., Chen, L., & Wang, R. (2025) · Frontiers in Endocrinology · doi:10.3389/fendo.2025.1652731 · Cited by 14
Metadata
- Authors
- ALLEN, J. M., MAILING, L. J., NIEMIRO, G. M., MOORE, R., COOK, M. D., WHITE, B. A., HOLSCHER, H. D., & WOODS, J. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (US)
- ORCID
- Venue
- Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
- Published
- 2018-04
- Volume
- 50
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 747-757
- ISSN
- 0195-9131 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2770212191
- Semantic Scholar
- 174d28f947e411c5265cc65ec9ba4d74f60b5bc0
- Cited by
- 820
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 121 · 2025: 84 · 2024: 111 · 2023: 106 · 2022: 107 · 2021: 124 · 2020: 85 · 2019: 51 · 2018: 30
- FWCI
- 18.53
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
- Keywords
- exercise training, gut microbiota, obesity, endurance exercise, short-chain fatty acids, fecal microbiota, beta diversity, sedentary lifestyle
- MeSH terms
- Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Adult, Bacteria, Fatty Acids, Volatile, Feces, Female, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Obesity, Oxygen Consumption, RNA, Ribosomal, 16S, Exercise, Body Mass Index, Young Adult, Sedentary Behavior
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