Abstract
Few data are available that describe how probiotics influence systemic metabolism during endurance exercise. Metabolomic profiling of endurance athletes will elucidate mechanisms by which probiotics may confer benefits to the athlete. In this study, twenty-four runners (20 male, 4 female) were block randomised into two groups using a double-blind matched-pairs design according to their most recent Marathon performance. Runners were assigned to 28-days of supplementation with a multi-strain probiotic (PRO) or a placebo (PLB). Following 28-days of supplementation, runners performed a competitive track Marathon race. Venous blood samples and muscle biopsies (vastus lateralis) were collected on the morning of the race and immediately post-race. Samples were subsequently analysed by untargeted 1H-NMR metabolomics. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified a greater difference in the post-Marathon serum metabolome in the PLB group vs. PRO. Univariate tests identified 17 non-overlapped metabolites in PLB, whereas only seven were identified in PRO. By building a PLS-DA model of two components, we revealed combinations of metabolites able to discriminate between PLB and PRO post-Marathon. PCA of muscle biopsies demonstrated no discernible difference post-Marathon between treatment groups. In conclusion, 28-days of probiotic supplementation alters the metabolic perturbations induced by a Marathon. Such findings may be related to maintaining the integrity of the gut during endurance exercise.
Highlights
During strenuous exercise, the gastrointestinal (GI) tract faces a number of stressors, and one of the consequences, most commonly seen in endurance runners, is an increase in symptoms such as bloating, abdominal cramping, diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting [1,2].The aetiology of GI distress during endurance exercise is, in part, related to splanchnic hypoxia, oxidative stress, hyperthermia, mechanical stress related to exercise, and malabsorption of carbohydrates (CHO) consumed before and during exercise [3,4]
We have shown in a randomised controlled trial of twenty-four recreational runners, that supplementation with a multi-strain probiotic for 28 days prior to a Marathon race reduces the incidence and severity of GI symptoms when compared with a placebo control, which was associated with better maintenance of running pace in the latter stages of the Marathon [10]
In order to generate new hypotheses and subsequently better characterise the mechanisms by which probiotic supplementation may incur beneficial physiological effects during Marathon running, the current study examined the effects of multi-strain probiotic supplementation in runners by serum metabolomics before and after a Marathon race
Summary
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract faces a number of stressors, and one of the consequences, most commonly seen in endurance runners, is an increase in symptoms such as bloating, abdominal cramping, diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting [1,2].The aetiology of GI distress during endurance exercise is, in part, related to splanchnic hypoxia, oxidative stress, hyperthermia, mechanical stress related to exercise, and malabsorption of carbohydrates (CHO) consumed before and during exercise [3,4]. Due to the apparent importance of the microbiome on mammalian metabolism, GI morphology and integrity, and overall health [7], there has been an interest in probiotic supplementation, with the aim of altering the existing GI environment. Such supplementation has been associated with a number of benefits for different aspects of human health and, more recently, there has been significant interest in how probiotic supplementation could positively impact the health and performance of athletic populations, including endurance athletes [8,9,10]
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