Intertwined Relationship of Mitochondrial Metabolism, Gut Microbiome and Exercise Potential

Abstract

The microbiome has emerged as a key player contributing significantly to the human physiology over the past decades. The potential microbial niche is largely unexplored in the context of exercise enhancing capacity and the related mitochondrial functions. Physical exercise can influence the gut microbiota composition and diversity, whereas a sedentary lifestyle in association with dysbiosis can lead to reduced well-being and diseases. Here, we have elucidated the importance of diverse microbiota, which is associated with an individual’s fitness, and moreover, its connection with the organelle, the mitochondria, which is the hub of energy production, signaling, and cellular homeostasis. Microbial by-products, such as short-chain fatty acids, are produced during regular exercise that can enhance the mitochondrial capacity. Therefore, exercise can be employed as a therapeutic intervention to circumvent or subside various metabolic and mitochondria-related diseases. Alternatively, the microbiome–mitochondria axis can be targeted to enhance exercise performance. This review furthers our understanding about the influence of microbiome on the functional capacity of the mitochondria and exercise performance, and the interplay between them.

Gut microbial indicators of metabolic health underlie age-related differences in obesity and diabetes risk among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders

“…Although microenvironmental conditions may shift enzymatic substrate preferences for butyrate-producing CoA-transferases BUT and ATO ( Diez-Gonzalez et al, 1999 ; Sauer and Eikmanns, 2005 ; Sato et al., 2016 ), BUK participates in butyrate synthesis via the hydrolytic conversion of a phosphorylated intermediate butyryl-phosphate ( Eeckhaut et al, 2011 ; Anand et al., 2016 ). While a similar reaction step is mediated by acetate kinase (ACK; Hartmanis and Gatenbeck, 1984 ), BUK is distinct from ACK in its substrate specificity for butyryl-phosphate rather than other SCFA precursors or long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) precursors ( Sirobhushanam et al., 2017 ; Bui et al, 2021 ; Imdad et al, 2022 ). For the purpose of this study, we focused on measuring the abundance of BUK gene copies and transcriptional products to investigate butyrate metabolism and its relationship with T2DM-related health outcomes among NHPI communities.…”

Reliability of pathophysiological markers reflective of exercise-induced gastrointestinal syndrome (EIGS) in response to 2-h high-intensity interval exercise: A comprehensive methodological efficacy exploration

“…Research investigating short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) (i.e., butyrate, acetate, and propionate) and the potentially protective role these may play in gastrointestinal epithelial integrity, systemic responses, and impact on exercise performance, is attracting interest and gaining momentum ( Clauss et al, 2021 ; Imdad et al, 2022 ). It has been demonstrated, albeit in-vitro, that bathing epithelial cell lines in concentrated SCFA solutions, particularly with butyrate, reduces permeability of epithelial cells ( Mariadason et al, 1997 ).…”

Diet Is a Stronger Covariate than Exercise in Determining Gut Microbial Richness and Diversity

“…Moreover, endurance exercise can also benefit human health by the diversification of the gut microbiota [23,24]. Numerous chronic diseases, including obesity, can be prevented or ameliorated by regular physical exercise [25].…”