UCC118 supplementation reduces exercise‐induced gastrointestinal permeability and remodels the gut microbiome in healthy humans

Abstract

Dysregulation of gut microbiota and intestinal barrier function has emerged as potential mechanisms underlying digestive diseases, yet targeted therapies are lacking The purpose of this investigation was to assess the efficacy of UCC118, a characterized probiotic strain, on exercise‐induced GI permeability in healthy humans. In a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled crossover study, seven healthy adults received 4 weeks of daily UCC118 or placebo supplementation. GI hyperpermeability was induced by strenuous treadmill running performed before and after each supplementation period. While running, participants ingested 5 g of lactulose, rhamnose, and sucrose. Urine was collected before, immediately after, and every hour for 5 h after exercise to assess GI permeability. Metagenomic sequencing was performed on fecal homogenates collected prior to exercise to identify changes in microbial diversity and taxon abundances. Inflammatory biomarkers were assessed from blood and fecal homogenates collected prior to and immediately following the cessation of exercise. Exercise significantly induced intestinal permeability of lactulose, rhamnose, and sucrose (P < 0.001). UCC118 significantly reduced sucrose (Δ = −0.38 ± 0.13 vs. 1.69 ± 0.79; P < 0.05) recovery, with no substantial change in lactulose (Δ = −0.07 ± 0.23 vs. 0.35 ± 0.15; P = 0.16) or rhamnose (Δ = −0.06 ± 0.22 vs. 0.48 ± 0.28; P = 0.22). Taxonomic sequencing revealed 99 differentially regulated bacteria spanning 6 taxonomic ranks (P < 0.05) after UCC118 supplementation. No differences in plasma IL‐6 or fecal zonulin were observed after UCC118 supplementation. The results described herein provide proof of principle that 4 weeks of UCC118 supplementation attenuated exercise‐induced intestinal hyperpermeability. Further research is warranted to investigate the as‐yet‐to‐be defined molecular processes of intestinal hyperpermeability and the effects of probiotic supplementation.

Is There an Exercise-Intensity Threshold Capable of Avoiding the Leaky Gut?

“…Considering that Veillonella atypica metabolizes lactate into propionate and acetate through the methyl malonyl-CoA pathway, it is speculated that the lactate produced during exercise is converted into SCFAs, improving exercise capacity ( 88 ). Moreover, several probiotic supplements can decrease intestinal damage caused by strenuous training ( 97 – 99 ), as shown in Table 1 . The probiotics Escherichia coli strain Nissle 1917 ( 100 ), UCC118 ( 99 ) and bovine colostrum ( 98 ), in addition to different dietary applications ( 61 , 101 , 102 ) seem to exert this softening effect on the permeability caused by strenuous exercise.…”

Recent advances in clinical probiotic research for sport

“…To assess the efficacy of Lactobacillus salivarius UCC118 (2 × 10 8 CFU/day) on exercise-induced gastrointestinal permeability and the gut microbiome in healthy adults, Axelrod et al [ 10 ▪▪ ], performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study on seven healthy, endurance trained athletes with 4-week treatment periods. Athletes undertook strenuous treadmill running performed before and after each supplementation period and urine recovery of lactulose, rhamnose, and sucrose was used to assess gastrointestinal permeability.…”

The Gastrointestinal Exertional Heat Stroke Paradigm: Pathophysiology, Assessment, Severity, Aetiology and Nutritional Countermeasures

“…Likewise, four weeks daily supplementation with a multi-strain probiotic (25 × 10 9 CFU; from five strains) had no influence on either DSAT, I-FABP or sCD14 responses following a simulated 42.2 km marathon in temperate conditions [134]. Finally, four weeks supplementation with a single strain probiotic (2 × 10 8 CFU Lactobacillus Salivarius) had no influence on DSAT responses, (or fecal microbial composition), following two hours of moderate intensity running (60% VO 2max ) in temperate conditions [270]. It is unlikely the final two studies were sufficiently powered to detect any influence of probiotic supplementation of GI barrier integrity.…”