Effect of Concurrent Training on Body Composition and Gut Microbiota in Postmenopausal Women with Overweight or Obesity

Abstract

Purpose: Menopause tends to be associated with an increased risk of obesity and abdominal fat mass (FM) and is associated with lower intestinal species diversity. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a high-intensity interval training and resistance training (HIIT + RT) program on body composition and intestinal microbiota composition in overweight or obese postmenopausal women. Methods: Participants (n = 17) were randomized in two groups: HIIT + RT group (3  / week, 12 weeks) and control group without any training. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure whole-body and abdominal/visceral FM and fat-free mass. Intestinal microbiota composition was determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing at baseline and at the study end, and the diet controlled. Results: Compared with sedentary controls, physical fitness (Maximal Oxygen Consumption, Peak Power Output) increased, total abdominal and visceral FM decreased, and segmental muscle mass increased in the training group. Although the HIIT + RT protocol did not modify α-diversity and taxonomy, it significantly influenced microbiota composition. Moreover, various intestinal microbiota members were correlated with HIIT + RT-induced body composition changes, and baseline microbiota composition predicted the response to the HIIT + RT program. Conclusions: HIIT + RT is an effective modality to reduce abdominal/visceral FM and improve physical capacity in non-dieting overweight or obese postmenopausal women. Training modified intestinal microbiota composition and the response to training seems to depend on the initial microbiota profile. More studies are needed to determine whether microbiota composition could predict the individual training response.

Effect of Intensity and Duration of Exercise on Gut Microbiota in Humans: A Systematic Review

“…Likewise, a study showed that high-intensity interval training and resistance work modified the composition of the intestinal microbiota [ 77 ]. Regarding resistance work, it is capable of modestly modifying the microbiota composition and function compared to other types of exercise [ 78 ].…”

The Nutrition-Microbiota-Physical Activity Triad: An Inspiring New Concept for Health and Sports Performance

“…It may also improve glucose metabolism [ 184 , 185 , 186 ]. Furthermore, HIIT modulates gut microbiota composition in humans and rodents [ 112 , 113 , 114 , 115 , 187 ]. A growing body of evidence suggests that in humans, dietary interventions, including supplementation of creatine monohydrate, caffeine, nitrate, sodium bicarbonate, beta-alanine, proteins, and essential amino acids, as well as manipulating carbohydrate availability, lead to more favorable outcomes after HITT programs by enhancing energy metabolism or by increasing the adaptive response during recovery [ 167 ].…”

The Gut Microbiome and Female Health

“…The gut microbiome has been correlated with menopause: the cessation of menstruation accompanied by estrogen down-regulation, ovary function loss, and hormone receptors dysfunction [ 16 , 38 ]. Menopause is associated with a lower gut microbial species diversity [ 92 ]. Thus, there are marked differences in the gut microbiomes and their metabolites in premenopausal and postmenopausal women, as shown in Table 1 and Figure 1 [ 93 ].…”

“…Obesity affects 65% of postmenopausal women and interestingly, the relationship between the gut microbiota and estrogen is speculated to mediate this weight gain [ 16 ]. Moreover, the gut microbiome has been related to obesity, and menopause is associated with a heightened risk of obesity [ 92 , 93 ]. Notably, other than the differences in Akkermansia muciniphila , Bifidobacterium animalis, Dorea, and Desulfovibrio, the gut microbial characteristics of diet-induced and bilaterally ovariectomized obese mice are reportedly similar [ 38 ].…”