‘The Gut Microbiome in Athletes: The role of prebiotics‘ sponsored by Bimuno

21 May 2019

To download a PDF of Neil’s presentation, click here.

To download a PDF of Jamie’s presentation, click here.

Questions and Answers

Which strains of bacteria may support lung function during endurance training?

Currently there is no evidence to suggest one particular probiotic strain supports lung function. Once thought of as a sterile environment the lungs are in fact home to a microbiome. Alterations in this microbiome are associated with disease such as cystic fibrous, COPD etc.  To date there is no research into the airway microbiome of athletes. There is evidence that using diet to target the gut microbiota can also alter the microbiota in the airways of CF patients.

 

Has there been any research on supplementing Butyric acid in athletes and its benefits?

To our knowledge there is currently no research studies into butyric acid in athletes. However, from a gut health perspective for athletes butyric acid is a potential energy for colonocytes. Butyric acid can strengthen the defensive barrier of the colon by increasing the production of mucin and antimicrobial peptides. Subsequently decreasing the intestinal epithelial permeability and increasing the expression of tight junction’s proteins, therefore it could be hypothesised that it may play a role in preventing gut issues in athletes.

 

What are your thoughts on colostrum in addressing intestinal permeability?

Work from Glen Davidson published in the American J of Clin Nutrition (https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.116.134403) showed that colostrum taken in conjunction with zinc carnosine increased epithelial resistance and the tight junction  structure and may have value for athletes in the prevention of heat stroke.

 

As you are unable to recommend specific probiotics for athletes and there is no evidence that oral probiotics change the gut microbiota, what is the place of supplemental probiotics?

Current practical recommendations for athletes travelling to competition would be to commence probiotic supplementation at least 14 days prior to overseas travel or competition. Multi-strain probiotic combining species from the genus’s Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium with the viable number of cells per species greater than 1 × 109 CFU per day should be considered to ensure the greatest survival to the gut and subsequent immune modulation.

 

This Williams study for EIA, how does hyperventilation compare to exercise and does a 10% drop in lung function equate to EIA? This could correlate to other things e.g reduced fitness? I THOUGHT EIA was better measured by reversibility?

The bronchoprovocation challenge known as Eucapnic Voluntary Hyperpnoea is the International Olympic Committee Medical Commission recommended test for diagnosing exercise induced bronchoconstriction in athletes.

 

Dietary approaches are always the first approach but does the average athlete’s diet provide enough prebiotic fibre or would you recommend supplementing?

Most westernised diets have low prebiotic fibre intake with some estimates of intake as low as <2g/day. For prebiotic intake to have a bifidogenic effect (i.e. to increase the growth and activity of bifidobacteria) ingestion of oligosaccharides should be at 5-8 g/day. Food products that are high in prebiotic fibre include raw chicory, raw garlic, raw artichoke. These are often not common in an athlete’s diet. Therefore, dietary supplementation might be needed.


Book your place
×

Hello!

Click one of our contacts below to chat on WhatsApp

× Any questions? WhatsApp us 07457 405049