Cardiorespiratory fitness as a predictor of intestinal microbial diversity and distinct metagenomic functions

Abstract

BackgroundReduced microbial diversity in human intestines has been implicated in various conditions such as diabetes, colorectal cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease. The role of physical fitness in the context of human intestinal microbiota is currently not known. We used high-throughput sequencing to analyze fecal microbiota of 39 healthy participants with similar age, BMI, and diets but with varying cardiorespiratory fitness levels. Fecal short-chain fatty acids were analyzed using gas chromatography.ResultsWe showed that peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), the gold standard measure of cardiorespiratory fitness, can account for more than 20 % of the variation in taxonomic richness, after accounting for all other factors, including diet. While VO2peak did not explain variation in beta diversity, it did play a significant role in explaining variation in the microbiomes’ predicted metagenomic functions, aligning positively with genes related to bacterial chemotaxis, motility, and fatty acid biosynthesis. These predicted functions were supported by measured increases in production of fecal butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid associated with improved gut health, amongst physically fit participants. We also identified increased abundances of key butyrate-producing taxa (Clostridiales, Roseburia, Lachnospiraceae, and Erysipelotrichaceae) amongst these individuals, which likely contributed to the observed increases in butyrate levels.ConclusionsResults from this study show that cardiorespiratory fitness is correlated with increased microbial diversity in healthy humans and that the associated changes are anchored around a set of functional cores rather than specific taxa. The microbial profiles of fit individuals favor the production of butyrate. As increased microbiota diversity and butyrate production is associated with overall host health, our findings warrant the use of exercise prescription as an adjuvant therapy in combating dysbiosis-associated diseases.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40168-016-0189-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Exercise has the guts: How physical activity may positively modulate gut microbiota in chronic and immune-based diseases

“…Independently of their diet, the higher the fitness level, the more diverse was their gut microbiome. Increased pruduction of butyrate, as a marker of gut health, and increased abundance of butyrate-producing taxa were also A C C E P T E D M A N U S C R I P T measured in individuals with greater levels of aerobic fitness [98]. Regardless of age, carbohydrate-or fat intake, Yang et al confirmed the association between cardiorespiratory fitness and gut microbiota composition in 71 premenopausal women [99].…”

“…SCFAs in 39 healthy subjects (male and female) with different levels of cardiorespiratory fitness [98]. Independently of their diet, the higher the fitness level, the more diverse was their gut microbiome.…”

The microbiome of professional athletes differs from that of more sedentary subjects in composition and particularly at the functional metabolic level

“…Supporting previous insights into the beneficial influence of physical exercise and associated diet on the compositional structure of the gut microbiota,25 26 30 this study has extended the paradigm to include links between physical fitness and the functional potential of the gut microbiota and its metabolites. It must be conceded that some athletes, although fit, may not necessarily be more healthy 31…”

Gut microbiota: implications for sports and exercise medicine

“…The gut microbiota is perturbed by antibiotic usage and is influenced by short-term and long-term dietary trends. Recently, the interaction between exercise and the gut microbiota has been highlighted following identification of correlations between cardiorespiratory fitness and health-associated gut microbial parameters such as taxonomic diversity and richness 5 6. It is unknown whether improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness achieved during adulthood can shift the gut microbiota towards a more healthy compositional profile.…”