Will A Probiotic Help You Get In The Best Shape Of Your Life?

When it comes to fitness and athletic aptitude, we often look to a person’s physique, as in, "He has the perfect runner’s body" or "She is built for swimming." And, to a degree, this may be true—some people are born with a body type that is particularly conducive to a certain sport or activity (If you’re tall and have ever been asked if you play basketball, you know what we mean!).

Unless you're like me and spend a lot of time researching the mighty gut microbiome, you may be tempted to think that the bacterial populations residing in our bodies are all the same. But this is far from true! In fact, our microbiomes are incredibly unique and can even be used to identify us as individuals, much like fingerprints. And even though the makeup up of our gut bacteria can change hour to hour and day to day based on what we eat1, how much sleep we get, our stress levels, and numerous other lifestyle factors, the unique fingerprint of our microbial mix stays relatively stable over time.

One thing is clear, at the most basic level, research shows that the more active you are4, the more diverse your microbiome will be. Scientists have discovered that the athlete’s microbiome isn’t just more diverse; it’s also functionally different from that of sedentary subjects, with specific bacterial strains that assist with cell and muscle turnover, tissue repair, and the ability to harness maximum energy from foods.

In one study, professional and amateur competitive cyclists who trained rigorously for 16 or more hours per week had a high percentage of Prevotella in their guts (around 12 percent, much higher than the 0.15 percent most people harbor), a genus that could help with amino acid synthesis for improved recovery. What’s more, the professional cyclists showed high levels of M. smithii, a strain of bacteria involved in methane metabolism that may make bacterial fermentation in the gut microbiome more efficient, leading to an increase in short-chain fatty acids, reduced recovery time, and improved race performance.

In another trial, researchers tested fecal samples of runners both before and after running the Boston Marathon and found that the post-race samples included particularly high amounts of a type of bacteria that break down lactic acid, which can lead to muscle soreness and fatigue. The scientists also compared the gut bacteria of ultramarathoners to those of elite rowers and found that the ultramarathoners harbored a species of bacteria that the rowers didn’t—one that helps break down carbohydrates and fiber, very important during a 100-mile race but perhaps not as crucial during rowing.

Although we don’t have enough information to tailor a sport-specific soccer or football microbiome quite yet, the great news is that targeted probiotics can enhance everyone’s performance, from professional athletes and hard-core fitness enthusiasts to gentle joggers and mindful yogis.

Intense exercise not only puts physical stress on the body, but the ensuing stress response—which involves a roller coaster of neurotransmitters that affect your minute-to-minute emotions—can often induce emotional stress, leading to issues with fatigue, insomnia, and depression. When you consider the adage that "90 percent of sports performance is mental," you’re doomed to come in at the back of the pack if you can’t get your mind in the game. The good news is that probiotics support your mood and mental health by regulating and producing a large number of mood-acting brain chemicals and hormones, like serotonin13, GABA, cortisol, and oxytocin.

Researchers are just beginning to look into how an athlete’s microbiome becomes so brilliantly specialized, and many questions remain. Are gifted athletes born with this microbial mix that enables them to surge ahead of all their competitors? Or, do years of training, focus, hard work, and microbe-friendly lifestyle choices cultivate the bacteria needed to compete at a high level? What role does a top athlete’s strict diet play in which bacteria flourish in their gut?

As we all excitedly await the answers, we can rest assured that we have the knowledge and tools today to take our gut health—and thus our athletic prowess—to the next level. By supplementing with a high-quality, effective probiotic designed specifically for athletes, incorporating an organic prebiotic powder into your diet to give your beneficial bacteria all the support and fuel they need, and living a gut-healthy life that keeps your friendly flora thriving and at the top of their game, you’ll be well on your way to giving your body and microbiome the support they need to snag that participant ribbon—or go for gold!