Why not try these?
Why not try these?
Gut bacteria are crucial for our physical fitness and performance. So would it be possible to cultivate intestinal bacteria from exceptional athletes in order to market them as probiotics? Molecular biologist Jonathan Scheiman believes so – and is collecting stool samples from top athletes.
The microbiome is currently an “in” topic in medical research. It is about which bacteria populate our body and how they influence it. If our intestinal flora gets out of step, metabolic diseases can develop. However, we can also look at the positive effects. U.S. researchers are now looking for bacteria that help improve our physical fitness. To do this, they are studying the microbiome of top athletes – as a source of new probiotics for athletes.
Some scientific careers start with a failure. Molecular biologist Jonathan Scheiman likes to flirt with the fact that he originally dreamed of becoming a professional basketball player.
“I wanted to play in the NBA. I didn’t. I went on to get my degree in molecular biology. I think that’s the standard way out for failed ballplayers.”
Cultured intestinal bacteria for power and mental strength!
“How about we study some of the fittest people in the world to find out what makes them unique; and whether some of that can’t be transferred to others?”
Jonathan Scheiman’s interest has since turned to the microbiome of elite athletes. The microbiome is the set of bacteria that populate the human body.
“The bacterial community, especially in our gut, influences energy balance, protein metabolism, the immune system. The bacteria contribute to our health, our bodily functions, but also diseases. My hypothesis is that they also play a role in things like endurance, strength, mental toughness and regenerative ability.”
To test this, the researcher ran experiments. He enlisted a number of American long-distance runners and rowers who were willing to provide him with stool samples regularly during training and before and after a competition.
Gut bacteria with fitness factor
“Feces consist of bacteria at 60 percent of their weight. We can sequence their DNA to identify the types of bacteria represented in the gut. We do this for each athlete over a period of time. We can then compare this data between athletes, but also with non-athletes, to see where the specifics and differences are.”
In 2015, for example, Jonathan Scheiman studied the microbiome of 20 high-level participants in the Boston Marathon, just before and after each race.
“In the stool samples immediately after the marathon, we discovered an increased presence of specific bacteria that break down lactic acid. After all, lactic acid as a metabolic product is associated with fatigue and muscle pain. So we found a kind of biological response to exertion in the microbiome. The accumulation of these bacteria in the gut could help break down lactic acid.”
Athletes who have more of such bacteria in their gut recover faster, Jonathan Scheiman suspects. He has already succeeded in isolating the bacteria and growing them in the lab. He is currently conducting experiments with mice to determine the extent to which these microbes actually enhance performance when added to food. He hopes one day to be able to grow other bacteria found in top athletes in culture and bring them to market as fitness-enhancing probiotics.
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