Exercise and Gut Health
Exercise has once again proven to be the human body’s very own medicine.
A growing number of studies have found that regular exercise can benefit gut microbes regardless of your diet.
Recent evidence from a number of studies suggest that exercise can enhance the number of beneficial microbial species and improve microflora diversity. These changes could provide benefits to health and disease prevention.
In one particular study from the University of Illinois, co-authored by Jeffrey Woods, researchers found that exercising for just six weeks could have an impact on your gut’s microbiome. In the study, 32 sedentary adults completed an exercise program consisting of cardiovascular exercises for 30-60 minutes three times a week for six weeks. They sampled the participants gut microbiomes before and after the program and found that many participants had an increase in gut microbes that assist in the production of short-chain fatty acids. These acids are produced when the friendly gut bacteria ferment fiber in your colon, and are the main source of energy for the cells there. They also reduce the risk of inflammatory diseases as well as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.
After the initial period of six weeks, the participants then returned to six weeks of their normal sedentary lifestyle. When the researchers sampled participants’ microbiomes again, they found the microbiomes had reverted back to how they were before the period of exercise.
“This tells us that exercise needs to be done regularly and that stopping exercise causes reversion, not surprising as this is evident in other exercise training-induced adaptations in other tissues like muscle,” Woods explained.
Similar results have been replicated in several other studies and have shown that exercise alters gut microbiota composition, functional capacity, and metabolites. What remains unknown is the effects of different exercise frequencies, types, and intensities. What is clear is the link between exercise and gut microbes shows that the rewards of physical activity go beyond burning calories and boosting fitness. All the more reason to get moving.
REFERENCES
1) MAILING, L.J., ALLEN J.M., BUFORD, T.W., FIELDS, C.J., AND WOODS, J.A. EXERCISE ALTERS GUT MICROBIOTA COMPOSITION AND FUNCTION IN LEAN AND OBESE HUMANS. MED SCI SPORTS EXERC. 2018 APR;50(4): 747-757. DOI 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001495.
2) MAILING, L.J., ALLEN, J.M., BUFORD, T.W., FIELDS, C.J., AND WOODS, J.A. EXERCISE AND THE GUT MICROBIOME: A REVIEW OF THE EVIDENCE, POTENTIAL MECHANISMS, AND IMPLICATIONS FOR HUMAN HEALTH. EXERC. SPORT SCI. REV., 2019 APR; VOL. 47(2):75–85, DOI:10.1249/JES.0000000000000183
3) MONDA, V., VILLANO, I., MESSINA, A., VALENZANO, A., ESPOSITO, T., MOSCATELLI, F., VIGGIANO, A., CIBELLI, G., CHIEFFI, S., MONDA, M., AND MESSINA, G. EXERCISE MODIFIES THE GUT MICROBIOTA WITH POSITIVE HEALTH EFFECTS. OX MED CELL LONG., 2017; VOL. 2017: 1-8. DOI:10.1155/2017/3831972
4) HTTPS://WWW.THE-SCIENTIST.COM/NEWS-OPINION/EXERCISE-CHANGES-OUR-GUT-MICROBES--BUT- HOW-ISNT-YET-CLEAR-66281
5) HTTPS://WWW.HEALTHLINE.COM/HEALTH-NEWS/EXERCISE-IMPROVES-YOUR-GUT-BACTERIA#2
AUTHOR: ELLIE GRIFFIN
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