Abstract
Regular physical activity seems to have a positive effect on the microbiota composition of the elderly, but little is known about the added possible benefits of strenuous endurance training. To gain insight into the physiology of the elderly and to identify biomarkers associated with endurance training, we combined different omics approaches. We aimed to investigate the gut microbiome, plasma composition, body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, and muscle strength of lifetime elderly endurance athletes (LA) age 63.5 (95% CI 61.4, 65.7), height 177.2 (95% CI 174.4, 180.1) cm, weight 77.8 (95% CI 75.1, 80.5) kg, VO2max 42.4 (95% CI 39.8, 45.0) ml.kg–1.min–1 (n = 13) and healthy controls age 64.9 (95% CI 62.1, 67.7), height 174.9 (95% CI 171.2, 178.6) cm, weight 83.4 (95% CI 77.1, 89.7) kg, VO2max 28.9 (95% CI 23.9, 33.9), ml.kg–1.min–1 (n = 9). Microbiome analysis was performed on collected stool samples further subjected to 16S rRNA gene analysis. NMR-spectroscopic analysis was applied to determine and compare selected blood plasma metabolites mostly linked to energy metabolism. The machine learning (ML) analysis discriminated subjects from the LA and CTRL groups using the joint predictors Bacteroides 1.8E + 00 (95% CI 1.1, 2.5)%, 3.8E + 00 (95% CI 2.7, 4.8)% (p = 0.002); Prevotella 1.3 (95% CI 0.28, 2.4)%, 0.1 (95% CI 0.07, 0.3)% (p = 0.02); Intestinimonas 1.3E-02 (95% CI 9.3E-03, 1.7E-02)%, 5.9E-03 (95% CI 3.9E-03, 7.9E-03)% (p = 0.002), Subdoligranulum 7.9E-02 (95% CI 2.5E-02, 1.3E-02)%, 3.2E-02 (95% CI 1.8E-02, 4.6E-02)% (p = 0.02); and the ratio of Bacteroides to Prevotella 133 (95% CI -86.2, 352), 732 (95% CI 385, 1079.3) (p = 0.03), leading to an ROC curve with AUC of 0.94. Further, random forest ML analysis identified VO2max, BMI, and the Bacteroides to Prevotella ratio as appropriate, joint predictors for discriminating between subjects from the LA and CTRL groups. Although lifelong endurance training does not bring any significant benefit regarding overall gut microbiota diversity, strenuous athletic training is associated with higher cardiorespiratory fitness, lower body fat, and some favorable gut microbiota composition, all factors associated with slowing the rate of biological aging.
Highlights
Systematic and regular physical work and exercise are associated with a plethora of health benefits
The objective of the present study was (a) to perform an observational study comparing the composition of the gut microbiota, selected plasma metabolites, physical fitness, and body characteristics of lifetime high-endurance athletes (LA) lifetime elderly endurance athletes and subjects who meet the minimum recommended physical activity levels (CTRL) (Chodzko-Zajko et al, 2009), and (b) to investigate the association between gut microbiota community structures and body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and metabolic characteristics
We concluded that endurance exercise in the elderly performed above global recommendations for physical activity do not bring significant benefits for higher gut microbiota diversity
Summary
Systematic and regular physical work and exercise are associated with a plethora of health benefits. They help to sustain or even improve physical and mental functions and moods among the elderly. They can reverse some chronic disease conditions and help the elderly to stay mobile and self-sufficient (McPhee et al, 2016). Despite the frequently communicated benefits of physical activity and healthy aging, the overwhelming majority of older people in western countries do not meet the globally recommended levels of physical activity necessary to maintain a healthy status (Luzak et al, 2017; UK Chief Medical Officers (CMO), 2019). The therapeutic potential of microbiome-targeted interventions represents a major focus for research in the field of geriatric and regenerative medicine (Rondanelli et al, 2015; Vaiserman et al, 2017)
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