ScienceDaily
Your source for the latest research news
Follow Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Subscribe RSS Feeds Newsletters
New:
  • Black Death Shaped Evolution of Immunity Genes
  • Methane-Eating 'Borgs' Taking Earth's Microbes
  • Pain Relief Without Side Effects and Addiction
  • Accounting For Dark Energy and Dark Matter
  • Meet the First Neanderthal Family
  • Physicists Confirm Hitch in Proton Structure
  • Five Hours' Sleep a Night: Disease Risk
  • Energetics of Piercing Fangs and Claws
  • Hair Straightening Chemicals and Uterine Cancer
  • Ostriches With Similar Interests Form Groups
advertisement
Follow all of ScienceDaily's latest research news and top science headlines!
Science News
from research organizations

1

2

No guts no glory: Harvesting the microbiome of athletes

Date:
August 20, 2017
Source:
American Chemical Society
Summary:
Scientists have tapped into the microbiome of elite runners and rowers, and have identified particular bacteria that may aid athletic performance. The goal is to develop probiotic supplements that may help athletes -- and even amateur fitness enthusiasts -- recover from a tough workout or more efficiently convert nutrients to energy. The researchers will present their work today at the 254th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.
Share:
FULL STORY

Elite athletes work hard to excel in sports, but they may also get a natural edge from the bacteria that inhabit their digestive tracts. Scientists have now tapped into the microbiome of exceptional runners and rowers, and have identified particular bacteria that may aid athletic performance. The goal is to develop probiotic supplements that may help athletes -- and even amateur fitness enthusiasts -- recover from a tough workout or more efficiently convert nutrients to energy.

advertisement

The researchers are presenting their work today at the 254th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

"When we first started thinking about this, I was asked whether we could use genomics to predict the next Michael Jordan," Jonathan Scheiman, Ph.D., says. "But my response was that a better question is: Can you extract Jordan's biology and give it to others to help make the next Michael Jordan?"

To answer that question, microbes seemed like a good place to start. "We are more bacteria than we are human," says Scheiman, who is a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of George Church, Ph.D., at Harvard Medical School. "The bugs in our gut affect our energy metabolism, making it easier to break down carbohydrates, protein and fiber. They are also involved in inflammation and neurological function. So perhaps the microbiome could be relevant for applications in endurance, recovery and maybe even mental toughness."

As a first step toward identifying bacteria that support athletic performance, the researchers collected fecal samples on a daily basis from 20 athletes training for the 2015 Boston marathon, one week before and one week after the race. "For two weeks I was driving around Boston collecting fecal samples and putting them on dry ice in the car," Scheiman says. "We followed athletes longitudinally to capture how the microbiome changes between performance and recovery."

The researchers sequenced the genomes of the sampled bacteria, using computational metagenomic methods to figure out how many and what types of microbes inhabited the fecal samples. When they compared the pre-race and post-race samples, the researchers found a sudden spike in the population of one particular type of bacteria after the marathon. "This bug's natural function is to break down lactic acid," Scheiman says. During intense exercise, the body produces more lactic acid than usual, which can lead to muscle fatigue and soreness. This bacteria could potentially help with that.

The team has isolated the bacteria from fecal samples and is beginning to evaluate its properties. They've already determined that the bug excels at breaking down lactic acid in a test tube and remains viable after it passes through the digestive system of mice. The researchers are now feeding the bacteria to mice to measure its effects on lactic acid levels and fatigue.

In another set of experiments, the researchers are comparing the bacteria from ultramarathoners to those found in rowers training for the Olympics. They found a type of bacteria in ultramarathoners that can help break down carbohydrates and fiber -- which is key during a 100-mile run -- that wasn't present in the rowers, suggesting that different sports may foster niche microbiomes.

Scheiman says that the team plans to launch a company this fall called Fitbiomics. "I would like to think that a year after we launch, we could have a novel probiotic on the market," he says. "But in parallel we'll also be expanding our cohort of elite athletes from numerous sports to generate a larger microbial data and strain bank of novel probiotic candidates. In essence, we're mining the biology of the most fit and healthy people in the world and then extracting that information to help them and others."

make a difference: sponsored opportunity

Story Source:

Materials provided by American Chemical Society. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Cite This Page:

  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago
American Chemical Society. "No guts no glory: Harvesting the microbiome of athletes." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 20 August 2017. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170820075017.htm>.
American Chemical Society. (2017, August 20). No guts no glory: Harvesting the microbiome of athletes. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 20, 2022 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170820075017.htm
American Chemical Society. "No guts no glory: Harvesting the microbiome of athletes." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170820075017.htm (accessed October 20, 2022).

  • RELATED TOPICS
    • Health & Medicine
      • Fitness
      • Sports Medicine
      • Dentistry
      • Ulcers
    • Plants & Animals
      • Bacteria
      • Microbes and More
      • Extreme Survival
      • Microbiology
advertisement

  • RELATED TERMS
    • Sports medicine
    • Athletic training
    • Marathon
    • Physical exercise
    • Cell (biology)
    • Salmonella infection
    • Gymnastics
    • Plant
advertisement

  Print   Email   Share

advertisement

1

2

3

4

5
Most Popular
this week

PLANTS & ANIMALS
Eating Late Increases Hunger, Decreases Calories Burned, and Changes Fat Tissue
Dogs Can Smell When We're Stressed, Study Suggests
A New Species of Deep-Sea Fish Discovered in the Atacama Trench
EARTH & CLIMATE
Battery Tech Breakthrough Paves Way for Mass Adoption of Affordable Electric Car
Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Triggered Global Tsunami That Scoured Seafloor Thousands of Miles from Impact Site
Collision May Have Formed the Moon in Mere Hours, Simulations Reveal
FOSSILS & RUINS
Learning About the First Animals on Earth from Life at the Poles
Reign of Papua New Guinea Highland's Megafauna Lasted Long After Humans Arrived
How Fluctuating Oxygen Levels May Have Accelerated Animal Evolution
advertisement

Strange & Offbeat
 

PLANTS & ANIMALS
How Evolution Overshot the Optimum Bone Structure in Hopping Rodents
Model Calculates Energetics of Piercing Fangs, Claws and Other Biological Weapons
The Mona Lisa Effect: How Eyespots Deter Predators That Approach from Different Directions
EARTH & CLIMATE
Methane-Eating 'Borgs' Have Been Assimilating Earth's Microbes
Impact That Killed the Dinosaurs Triggered 'Mega-Earthquake' That Lasted Weeks to Months
Ground-Breaking Research Finds Pelagic Seabirds Fly Into the Eye of the Storm When Faced With Extreme Weather Conditions
FOSSILS & RUINS
Dinosaur 'Mummies' Might Not Be as Unusual as We Think
Reign of Papua New Guinea Highland's Megafauna Lasted Long After Humans Arrived
Sound Reveals Giant Blue Whales Dance With the Wind to Find Food
Explore More
from ScienceDaily

RELATED STORIES

Humans Run at the Most Energy-Efficient Speed, Regardless of Distance
Apr. 28, 2022 — As race season approaches, many runners have the same goal: go faster. But researchers now show that speeding up might require defying our natural biology. By combining data from runners monitored in ...
How Do You Cultivate a Healthy Plant Microbiome?
Dec. 6, 2019 — Crops today never see their parents' microbiome, so how do they develop a leaf microbial community that's healthy and resistant to invasion by pathogens? Biologists sequenced the microbiomes of ...
Why Some US Football Players Have Higher Cardiovascular Risk
Oct. 17, 2019 — Research has shown that while elite athletes overall are at decreased risk of death from cardiovascular problems, a certain group of athletes -- football linemen in the United States -- actually have ...
Children Are as Fit as Endurance Athletes
Apr. 24, 2018 — Researchers discover how young children seem to run around all day without getting tired: their muscles resist fatigue and recover in the same way as elite endurance athletes. The study, which ...
advertisement


SD
  • SD
    • Home Page
    • Top Science News
    • Latest News
  • Home
    • Home Page
    • Top Science News
    • Latest News
  • Health
    • View all the latest top news in the health sciences,
      or browse the topics below:
      Health & Medicine
      • Allergy
      • Alternative Medicine
      • Birth Control
      • Cancer
      • Diabetes
      • Diseases
      • Heart Disease
      • HIV and AIDS
      • Obesity
      • Stem Cells
      • ... more topics
      Mind & Brain
      • ADD and ADHD
      • Addiction
      • Alzheimer's
      • Autism
      • Depression
      • Headaches
      • Intelligence
      • Psychology
      • Relationships
      • Schizophrenia
      • ... more topics
      Living Well
      • Parenting
      • Pregnancy
      • Sexual Health
      • Skin Care
      • Men's Health
      • Women's Health
      • Nutrition
      • Diet and Weight Loss
      • Fitness
      • Healthy Aging
      • ... more topics
  • Tech
    • View all the latest top news in the physical sciences & technology,
      or browse the topics below:
      Matter & Energy
      • Aviation
      • Chemistry
      • Electronics
      • Fossil Fuels
      • Nanotechnology
      • Physics
      • Quantum Physics
      • Solar Energy
      • Technology
      • Wind Energy
      • ... more topics
      Space & Time
      • Astronomy
      • Black Holes
      • Dark Matter
      • Extrasolar Planets
      • Mars
      • Moon
      • Solar System
      • Space Telescopes
      • Stars
      • Sun
      • ... more topics
      Computers & Math
      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Communications
      • Computer Science
      • Hacking
      • Mathematics
      • Quantum Computers
      • Robotics
      • Software
      • Video Games
      • Virtual Reality
      • ... more topics
  • Enviro
    • View all the latest top news in the environmental sciences,
      or browse the topics below:
      Plants & Animals
      • Agriculture and Food
      • Animals
      • Biology
      • Biotechnology
      • Endangered Animals
      • Extinction
      • Genetically Modified
      • Microbes and More
      • New Species
      • Zoology
      • ... more topics
      Earth & Climate
      • Climate
      • Earthquakes
      • Environment
      • Geography
      • Geology
      • Global Warming
      • Hurricanes
      • Ozone Holes
      • Pollution
      • Weather
      • ... more topics
      Fossils & Ruins
      • Ancient Civilizations
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • Dinosaurs
      • Early Humans
      • Early Mammals
      • Evolution
      • Lost Treasures
      • Origin of Life
      • Paleontology
      • ... more topics
  • Society
    • View all the latest top news in the social sciences & education,
      or browse the topics below:
      Science & Society
      • Arts & Culture
      • Consumerism
      • Economics
      • Political Science
      • Privacy Issues
      • Public Health
      • Racial Disparity
      • Religion
      • Sports
      • World Development
      • ... more topics
      Business & Industry
      • Biotechnology & Bioengineering
      • Computers & Internet
      • Energy & Resources
      • Engineering
      • Medical Technology
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Transportation
      • ... more topics
      Education & Learning
      • Animal Learning & Intelligence
      • Creativity
      • Educational Psychology
      • Educational Technology
      • Infant & Preschool Learning
      • Learning Disorders
      • STEM Education
      • ... more topics
  • Quirky
    • Top News
    • Human Quirks
    • Odd Creatures
    • Bizarre Things
    • Weird World
Free Subscriptions

Get the latest science news with ScienceDaily's free email newsletters, updated daily and weekly. Or view hourly updated newsfeeds in your RSS reader:

  • Email Newsletters
  • RSS Feeds
Follow Us

Keep up to date with the latest news from ScienceDaily via social networks:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
Have Feedback?

Tell us what you think of ScienceDaily -- we welcome both positive and negative comments. Have any problems using the site? Questions?

  • Leave Feedback
  • Contact Us
About This Site  |  Staff  |  Reviews  |  Contribute  |  Advertise  |  Privacy Policy  |  Editorial Policy  |  Terms of Use
Copyright 1995-2022 ScienceDaily or by other parties, where indicated. All rights controlled by their respective owners.
Content on this website is for information only. It is not intended to provide medical or other professional advice.
Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily, its staff, its contributors, or its partners.
Financial support for ScienceDaily comes from advertisements and referral programs, where indicated.
— CCPA: Do Not Sell My Information — GDPR: Privacy Settings —