A Review of the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Personalized Sports Nutrition

Abstract

The gut microbiome is a key factor in determining inter-individual variability in response to diet. Thus, far, research in this area has focused on metabolic health outcomes such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, understanding the role of the gut microbiome in determining response to diet may also lead to improved personalization of sports nutrition for athletic performance. The gut microbiome has been shown to modify the effect of both diet and exercise, making it relevant to the athlete's pursuit of optimal performance. This area of research can benefit from recent developments in the general field of personalized nutrition and has the potential to expand our knowledge of the nexus between the gut microbiome, lifestyle, and individual physiology.

Biomimetic Gut Model Systems for Development of Targeted Microbial Solutions for Enhancing Warfighter Health and Performance

“…Warfighters are routinely subjected to these types of stressors in the field, where physiological and mental operational readiness is challenged (31,32). Recent metagenomic and endurance studies of professional athletes versus sedentary subjects displayed marked increases in amino acid and antibiotic biosynthesis, as well as carbohydrate metabolism, and these changes were attributed to changes in gut microbiota (33), such as a higher prevalence of Veillonella atypica, which aids in lactate metabolism of marathon runners (34). Such physiological processes have a downstream effect on the rate of muscle turnover, potentially enhancing or diminishing fitness (31).…”

“…Such physiological processes have a downstream effect on the rate of muscle turnover, potentially enhancing or diminishing fitness (31). Harnessing the dynamics between physiological stress and gut microbiota profiles could signal a promising entryway for performance enhancement (31) and, conversely, highlight the metabolic impacts of antibiotic use (33).…”

Short-Term Physical Exercise Impacts On The Human Holobiont Obtained By A Randomised Intervention Study

“…With respect to this aim, the extended research during the last years has identi ed the gut microbiome as one of the key players in the gut-brain-axis, thereby linking the research elds for physical activity, neurology and microbiota (reviewed in [15]). To this end, several studies already addressed the question if and how exercise may affect the gut microbiota or vice versa (very recently reviewed in [16]). Though most related studies focused on animal models, there are also some intervention trials as well as cross-sectional and observational comparisons in humans.…”

Discovery of a Histidine‐Based Scaffold as an Inhibitor of Gut Microbial Choline Trimethylamine‐Lyase

“…Gut microbiota is a complex community of trillions of microorganisms in human gastrointestinal system that plays key roles in food digestion, regulation of intestinal mucosal barriers, and nutrients metabolism. [1][2][3] Multiple lines of evidence have recently demonstrated the association between alterations in gut microbiota and different disorders such as cardiovascular diseases as well as chronic kidney disease (CKD). [4][5][6][7] Generation of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) by gut microbiota from various precursors such as choline, glycine betaine, phosphatidylcholine, and carnitine is an established pathway for the progression of atherosclerosis and CKD.…”

“…According to the results from CAVER3 Analyst, [48] the volume of the active site must dramatically increase, from~145 Å 3 in choline bound conformer to~783 Å 3 in CutC in complex with compound 5, to provide sufficient space to bind a significantly larger molecule. However, such big pocket was not detected in Figure 6.…”