The Impact of Ultra-Marathon Running on the Gut Microbiota as Determined by Faecal Bacterial Profiling, and Its Relationship with Exercise-Associated Gastrointestinal Symptoms: An Exploratory Investigation
Study Details
This new study investigated the effects of an 80-km ultramarathon on…
🦠 Gut bacterial composition
😮💨 Relations to exercise-associated gastrointestinal symptoms (Ex-GIS)
…in 14 ultra endurance runners providing faecal samples (pre- and post) 💩
Here is what they found ⬇️
Key Findings
From pre- to post-race there were significant decreases in…
👉 Actinobacteriota
👉 Bifidobacteriaceae
👉 Clostridiaceae
👉 Blautia
👉 Subdoligranulum
And significant increases in…
👉 Oscillospiraceae
👉 Monoglobaceae
However, there were no major shifts in overall bacterial diversity from pre- to post-race ❌
ALL participants also experienced mild Ex-GIS (belching, bloating, flatulence) 💨
But, there were no significant correlations observed suggesting acute microbial shifts did not directly cause symptoms ❌
Conclusion
Completing an ultra-marathon does not cause large-scale gut microbiota disruption within 24 hrs 🧫
Some bacterial taxa may relate to gastrointestinal symptom risk, but effects are highly individual ‼️
Ex-GIS management should prioritise personalised nutrition and gut health strategies rather than assuming uniform microbiome response ✅
Reference
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/20/3275
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