Effects of Athletic Nutritional Supplements on the Human Gut Microbiota: A Narrative Review
Study Details
This new review compiled the latest evidence to establish the effects of sports supplements on human gut microbiota 📚
Here are the key findings ⬇️
Key Findings
PROTEIN & AMINO ACIDS 💪
🍖 High protein intake doesn’t drastically change microbial diversity but shifts bacterial metabolism toward amino acid breakdown
💨 May reduce beneficial butyrate and increase ammonia or hydrogen sulfide ➡️ potentially harmful at high doses
🌾 Moderate intake with enough fibre likely balances benefits and risks
ANTIOXIDANTS & POLYPHENOLS 🍇
🫐 Polyphenols from berries, cocoa, and red wine often increase beneficial Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus
⚖️ Effects vary by source and dose but usually maintain overall diversity
💥 Vitamins C & E subtly influence gut metabolism ➡️ likely via redox balance rather than compositional change
BEETROOT
🌿 Minimal impact on overall diversity but may increase Akkermansia and Bifidobacterium
🧪 Mechanisms unclear ➡️ possibly linked to nitrate-utilising bacteria or beetroot polyphenols
CAFFEINE & COFFEE ☕️
📈 Limited evidence of slightly greater microbial richness with higher caffeine or coffee intake
🦠 Coffee (not just caffeine) linked to rises in Bacteroides–Prevotella groups and Lawsonibacter asaccharolyticus
IRON 💊
🚫 Minimal compositional change overall, but excess may favour iron-loving (pathogenic) species like E. coli
⚠️ Supplementation without deficiency best avoided ➡️ oxidative and microbial risks
OMEGA-3 (PUFA) 🐟
🌸 No major diversity change but increases in Bifidobacterium, Roseburia, and Lactobacillus observed
🧬 May support beneficial fatty acid metabolism and gut signalling functions
PROBIOTICS 🦠
📊 Increase supplemented strains and sometimes enhance others indirectly
🧯 Can reduce gut permeability and inflammation ➡️ benefits depend on strain and regular use
📜 No EU-approved health claims yet ➡️ evidence remains mixed
Conclusion
Most sports supplements don’t overhaul your gut microbes, they just tweak how they work 🔬
Any performance effects likely come from metabolic changes, not massive microbiome shifts ✅
Reference
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41097148/
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