The Athlete Gut Microbiota: State of the Art and Practical Guidance

Publish Date: 26 April 2024
Author(s): Íñigo M. Pérez-Castillo
Anice Sabag-Daigle
José López-Chicharro
Niko Mihic
Ricardo Rueda
Hakim Bouzamondo

Abstract:

While the composition of the athlete’s gut microbiota is not completely delineated, athletes appear to display a characteristic gut environment that might convey a metabolic advantage. These changes appear to be driven by long-term exercise practice and the adoption of dietary strategies that characterize high-level competition. Not only compositional changes but also the production of bacterial metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids, are linked to improved energy efficiency, which might be key when optimizing performance and recovery. A practical approach might involve taking advantage of metagenomic and metabolomic techniques to prospectively monitoring indicators of dysbiosis supported by a solid body of literature to guide simple dietary strategies.

Author Bios

Headshot placeholder

Íñigo M. Pérez-Castillo

Abbott Nutrition, R&D
Granada, Spain
Headshot placeholder

ANICE SABAG-DAIGLE

Abbott Nutrition, R&D
Columbus, OH, USA
Headshot placeholder

José López-Chicharro

Real Madrid, Medical Services
Madrid, Spain
Headshot placeholder

Niko Mihic

Real Madrid, Medical Services
Madrid, Spain
Headshot placeholder

Ricardo Rueda

Abbott Nutrition, R&D
Granada, Spain
Headshot placeholder

Hakim Bouzamondo

Abbott Nutrition, R&D
Chicago, IL, USA
certificate-icon

attended a live program?

question-marks

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS