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Effects of probiotics supplementation on gastrointestinal permeability, inflammation and exercise performance in the heat

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the effects of multi-strain probiotics supplementation on gastrointestinal permeability, systemic markers of inflammation and running performance when exercising in the heat.

Methods

Ten male runners were randomized to 4 weeks of daily supplementation with a probiotics capsule (45 billion CFU of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Streptococcus strains) or placebo, separated by a washout period (double-blind, cross-over trial). After each treatment, the runners exercised to fatigue at 80 % of their ventilatory threshold at 35 °C and 40 % humidity. To assess gastrointestinal permeability, runners ingested lactulose and rhamnose before exercise and post-exercise urine was collected to measure sugar concentrations. Venous blood samples were collected before, immediately after and 1 h after exercise, and core temperature was monitored during exercise.

Results

Probiotics supplementation significantly increased run time to fatigue (min:s 37:44 ± 2:42 versus 33:00 ± 2:27; P = 0.03, d = 0.54). Average core temperature during exercise was similar between trials (probiotic 38.1 ± 0.2 °C, placebo 38.1 ± 0.1 °C; P = 0.77, d = 0.13). Serum lipopolysaccharide concentration increased post-exercise (P < 0.001), while there was a moderate to large reduction in pre-exercise (d = 0.70) and post-exercise (d = 1.24) concentration following probiotics supplementation. Plasma concentrations of IL-6, IL-10 and IL-1ra increased after exercise (P < 0.01), but there was no significant difference between trials (P > 0.05). There was a small to moderate reduction (d = 0.35) in urine lactulose:rhamnose and a small reduction (d = 0.25) in symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort following probiotics supplementation (both P = 0.25).

Conclusion

Four weeks of supplementation with a multi-strain probiotic increased running time to fatigue in the heat. Further studies are required to elucidate the exact mechanisms for this performance benefit.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Dr Michael Leveritt for his assistance with dietary prescription for the runners, and the runners for their commitment to the study. The authors have no competing interests to declare. A portion of this work was funded by the BioCeuticals™, Sydney, Australia and the University of Tasmania. The authors do not have any professional relationships with the company. Luis Vitetta has received National Institute of Complementary Medicine and National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia competitive funding and Industry support for research into probiotics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sport Performance Optimisation Research Team, School of Human Life Sciences, University of Tasmania, Locked Bag 1320, Launceston, TAS, 7250, Australia

    Cecilia M. Shing & Kiran D. K. Ahuja

  2. School of Human Movement Studies, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

    Jonathan M. Peake & David Briskey

  3. School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia

    Jonathan M. Peake

  4. Singapore Sports Institute, Singapore, Republic of Singapore

    Chin Leong Lim

  5. Centre for Integrative, School of Medicine, Clinical and Molecular Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

    David Briskey & Luis Vitetta

  6. Extremes Research Group, Bangor University, Bangor, UK

    Neil P. Walsh & Matthew B. Fortes

  7. Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Chin Leong Lim

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  1. Cecilia M. Shing
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  2. Jonathan M. Peake
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Correspondence to Cecilia M. Shing.

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Communicated by Fabio Fischetti.

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Shing, C.M., Peake, J.M., Lim, C.L. et al. Effects of probiotics supplementation on gastrointestinal permeability, inflammation and exercise performance in the heat. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 93–103 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-013-2748-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-013-2748-y

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