Recent advances in clinical probiotic research for sport.
- 2020-08-06
- Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care 23(6)
- Ralf Jäger
- Alex E Mohr
- Jamie N Pugh
- PubMed: 32769404
- DOI: 10.1097/mco.0000000000000686
Purpose of review
This is a review of the most up-to-date research on the effectiveness of probiotic supplementation for outcomes related to athletes and physical activity. The focus is on clinical research incorporating exercise and/or physically active participants on the nutritional effectiveness of single and multistrain preparations.Recent findings
Findings of the included clinical studies support the notion that certain probiotics could play important roles in maintaining normal physiology and energy production during exercise which may lead to performance-improvement and antifatigue effects, improve exercise-induced gastrointestinal symptoms and permeability, stimulate/modulate of the immune system, and improve the ability to digest, absorb, and metabolize macro and micronutrients important to exercise performance and recovery/health status of those physically active.Summary
The current body of literature highlights the specificity of probiotic strain/dose and potential mechanisms of action for application in sport. These novel findings open new areas research, potential use for human health, and reinforce the potential role for probiotic's in exercise performance. While encouraging, more well designed studies of probiotic supplementation in various sport applications are warranted.Research Insights
| Supplement | Health Outcome | Effect Type | Effect Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lactobacillus salivarius UCC118 | Improved Energy Metabolism | Beneficial | Small |
| Lactobacillus salivarius UCC118 | Improved Gastrointestinal Function | Beneficial | Small |
| Lactobacillus salivarius UCC118 | Improved Gastrointestinal Health | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Lactobacillus salivarius UCC118 | Improved Immune Function | Beneficial | Small |
| Lactobacillus salivarius UCC118 | Improved Nutrient Absorption and Metabolism | Beneficial | Small |