Description

• Title:
  Gut Microbiota Modulation to Enhance Exercise Performance and Recovery - Systematic Review
• Creator:
  Czarnota, Maksymilian;
  Ossowska, Weronika;
  Ösztreicher , Wiktoria
• Description:
  Background: Recent evidence suggests that the gut microbiota can influence host metabolism, immunity, and tissue repair—processes critical for exercise performance and recovery.Objective: To synthesise human research examining whether modulation of the gut microbiota—via probiotics, prebiotics, diet, or training—affects physical capacity and post-exercise recovery.Methods: A systematic search of PubMed and Scopus (until May 2025) identified peer-reviewed human studies involving gut-directed interventions or athlete comparisons reporting on physical performance, fatigue, immune response, or gut integrity. Thirty-five studies met inclusion criteria and were narratively analysed.Results: Regular endurance or mixed training increased microbial diversity, SCFA-producing taxa, and gut-barrier integrity, while excessive loads reduced diversity and increased permeability. Multi-strain probiotic or synbiotic supplementation (≥10¹⁰ CFU/day, ≥4 weeks) improved endurance, reduced muscle-damage markers, and lowered illness incidence during intense training. Fibre-rich diets enhanced beneficial taxa and reduced inflammation.Conclusions: Modulating the gut microbiota is a promising adjunct to training and nutrition strategies. Periodised probiotic use, sustained fibre intake, and personalised gut-health monitoring may optimise performance and recovery. Further well-designed, long-term trials are needed to clarify causality and refine recommendations.
• Object availability:
  free access
• Rights:
  Prawa autorskie (c) 2025 Maksymilian Czarnota, Weronika Ossowska, Wiktoria Ösztreicher;
  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
• Date:
  2025.07.10
• Type:
  info:eu-repo/semantics/article;
  info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
• Language:
  English
• Source:
  Quality in Sport; Tom 43 (2025); 62420;
  Quality in Sport; Vol. 43 (2025); 62420;
  2450-3118
• Format:
  application/pdf
• Publisher:
  University Center for Sports Research, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland
• Relation: https://apcz.umk.pl/QS/article/view/62420/43184
• Subject:
  Gut microbiota;
  Exercise performance;
  Recovery;
  Probiotics;
  Prebiotics;
  Athletes;
  Sports nutrition;
  Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs);
  Microbiome modulation;
  Physical endurance
• Identifier: https://apcz.umk.pl/QS/article/view/62420
• Data provider:
  Akademicka Platforma Czasopism
• Can I use it?:
  seek permission
• Type:
  text