The effects of acute oral glutamine supplementation on exercise-induced gastrointestinal permeability and heat shock protein expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Dietary rosemary oil with/without zymogen forte improves water quality, growth hormones, immune-physiological response, stress resilience, and health status of Chelon ramada grown in groundwater

With freshwater resources becoming scarce worldwide, mariculture is a promising avenue to sustain aquaculture development, especially by incorporating brackish and saline groundwater (GW) use into fish farming. A 75-day rearing trial was conducted to evaluate fish growth, immune response, overall health, and water quality of Chelon ramada cultured in brackish GW and fed on a basal diet (BD) augmented with rosemary oil (RO) or RO + zymogen forte™ (ZF) as an anti-flatulent. Five treatments were administrated in triplicate: T1: fish-fed BD without additives (control group); T2: fish-fed BD + 0.5 g RO /kg diet; T3: fish-fed BD + 0.5 g RO and 1 g ZF /kg diet; T4: fish-fed BD + 1 g RO /kg diet; T5: fish-fed BD + 1 g RO and 1 g ZF /kg diet. Three hundred fish (8.51 ± 0.01 g/fish) were housed in 15 fiberglass tanks (1500-L tank). The results revealed significant improvements (P < 0.05) in growth performance, survival, growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor-1. Additionally, there were decreases in the feed conversion ratio (FCR) and the levels of nitrogen by-products (NH4, NH3, and NO2) and pathogenic bacterial counts in the rearing water when fish were fed diets supplemented with RO and RO + ZF. Furthermore, significant reductions in the levels of plasma stress indicators (cortisol, creatinine, and glucose) were detected. In addition, there were significant enhancements observed in the levels of innate immune markers, such as white blood cells, total protein, albumin, and immunoglobulin. The complement system, specifically complement 3 and complement 4, also showed considerable improvements. Furthermore, there were increases in plasma heat shock proteins HSP70 and HSP90, as well as enhanced antioxidant activity. These gains were associated with healthier liver and intestines. The investigation demonstrated that adding 0.5-1 g RO / kg diet or RO + ZF to a C. ramada diet has many benefits, including reducing the levels of nitrogen by-product chemicals and pathogenic bacterial load in GW used in growth tanks. Furthermore, significant improvements were observed in the rates of growth and associated hormones, efficiency of feed utilization, blood indicators, immune function, condition of internal organs (namely the intestine and liver), and overall health of the fish.

Gut-Brain Axis and Neuroinflammation: The Role of Gut Permeability and the Kynurenine Pathway in Neurological Disorders

The increasing prevalence of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and multiple sclerosis presents a significant global health challenge. Despite extensive research, the precise mechanisms underlying these conditions remain elusive, with current treatments primarily addressing symptoms rather than root causes. Emerging evidence suggests that gut permeability and the kynurenine pathway are involved in the pathogenesis of these neurological conditions, offering promising targets for novel therapeutic and preventive strategies. Gut permeability refers to the intestinal lining's ability to selectively allow essential nutrients into the bloodstream while blocking harmful substances. Various factors, including poor diet, stress, infections, and genetic predispositions, can compromise gut integrity, leading to increased permeability. This condition facilitates the translocation of toxins and bacteria into systemic circulation, triggering widespread inflammation that impacts neurological health via the gut-brain axis. The gut-brain axis (GBA) is a complex communication network between the gut and the central nervous system. Dysbiosis, an imbalance in the gut microbiota, can increase gut permeability and systemic inflammation, exacerbating neuroinflammation-a key factor in neurological disorders. The kynurenine pathway, the primary route for tryptophan metabolism, is significantly implicated in this process. Dysregulation of the kynurenine pathway in the context of inflammation leads to the production of neurotoxic metabolites, such as quinolinic acid, which contribute to neuronal damage and the progression of neurological disorders. This narrative review highlights the potential and progress in understanding these mechanisms. Interventions targeting the kynurenine pathway and maintaining a balanced gut microbiota through diet, probiotics, and lifestyle modifications show promise in reducing neuroinflammation and supporting brain health. In addition, pharmacological approaches aimed at modulating the kynurenine pathway directly, such as inhibitors of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, offer potential avenues for new treatments. Understanding and targeting these interconnected pathways are crucial for developing effective strategies to prevent and manage neurological disorders.

The biphasic activity of autophagy and heat shock protein response in peripheral blood mononuclear cells following acute resistance exercise in resistance-trained males

PURPOSE

Autophagy and heat shock protein (HSP) response are proteostatic systems involved in the acute and adaptive responses to exercise. These systems may upregulate sequentially following cellular stress including acute exercise, however, currently few data exist in humans. This study investigated the autophagic and HSP responses to acute intense lower body resistance exercise in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with and without branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) supplementation.

METHODS

Twenty resistance-trained males (22.3 ± 1.5 yr; 175.4 ± .7 cm; 86.4 ± 15.6 kg) performed a bout of intense lower body resistance exercise and markers of autophagy and HSP70 were measured immediately post- (IPE) and 2, 4, 24, 48, and 72 h post-exercise. Prior to resistance exercise, 10 subjects were randomly assigned to BCAA supplementation of 0.22 g/kg/d for 5 days pre-exercise and up to 72 h following exercise while the other 10 subjects consumed a placebo (PLCB).

RESULTS

There were no difference in autophagy markers or HSP70 expression between BCAA and PLCB groups. LC3II protein expression was significantly lower 2 and 4 h post-exercise compared to pre-exercise. LC3II: I ratio was not different at any time point compared to pre-exercise. Protein expression of p62 was lower IPE, 2, and 4 h post-exercise and elevated 24 h post-exercise. HSP70 expression was elevated 48 and 72 h post-exercise.

CONCLUSIONS

Autophagy and HSP70 are upregulated in PBMCs following intense resistance exercise with autophagy increasing initially post-exercise and HSP response in the latter period. Moreover, BCAA supplementation did not affect this response.

Heat acclimation alleviates the heat stress-induced impairment of vascular endothelial cells

Heat acclimation (HA) is found to help decrease the incidence of heat-related illnesses such as heat syncope and exertional heat stroke. However, the response of vascular endothelial cells to HA remain to be elucidated. In this study, mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells (bEnd.3), human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), and human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) were selected. The cells were first subjected to HA at 40 ℃ for 2 h per day for 3 days, and then subjected to heat stress at 43 ℃ for 2 h or 4 h. After heat stress, HA-pretreated cells showed a significant increase in cell viability, cell integrity, a decrease in the proportion of S phase cells, cell apoptosis, and cytoskeletal shrinkage compared with the cells without HA pretreatment. Additionally, the expression of VEGF, ICAM-1, iNOS and EPO in HA-pretreated cells significantly increased. We also presented evidence that HA upregulated HSP70 and bcl-2, while downregulated p-p53 and bax. Notably, the suppression of HSP70 expression attenuated the protective role of heat acclimation. Furthermore, HA mitigated injuries in vital organs of mice exposed to heat stress. Conclusively, these findings indicated the HA can increase the vitality of vascular endothelial cells after heat stress, partially restore the function of vascular endothelial cells, and this protective effect may be related to the upregulation of HSP70 expression.

New Zealand blackcurrant extract modulates the heat shock response in men during exercise in hot ambient conditions

PURPOSE

To determine if 7d of New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) extract alters the heat shock, inflammatory and apoptotic response during prolonged exertional-heat stress.

METHODS

Ten men (Age: 29 ± 2 years, Stature: 1.82 ± 0.02 m, Mass: 80.3 ± 2.7 kg, V̇O2max: 56 ± 2 mL·kg-1·min-1) ingested two capsules of CurraNZ™ (NZBC extract: 210 mg anthocyanins·day-1) or PLACEBO for 7d prior to 1 h treadmill run (65% V̇O2max) in hot ambient conditions (34 °C/40% RH). Blood samples were collected before (Pre), immediately after (Post), 1 h after (1-Post), and 4 h after (4-Post) exercise. Heat shock proteins (HSP90, HSP70, HSP32) were measured in plasma. HSP and protein markers of inflammatory capacity (TLR4, NF-κB) and apoptosis (BAX/BCL-2, Caspase 9) were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).

RESULTS

eHSP32 was elevated at baseline in NZBC(+ 31%; p < 0.001). In PLACEBO HSP32 content in PBMC was elevated at 4-Post(+ 98%; p = 0.002), whereas in NZBC it fell at Post(- 45%; p = 0.030) and 1-Post(- 48%; p = 0.026). eHSP70 was increased at Post in PLACEBO(+ 55.6%, p = 0.001) and NZBC (+ 50.7%, p = 0.010). eHSP90 was increased at Post(+ 77.9%, p < 0.001) and 1-Post(+ 73.2%, p < 0.001) in PLACEBO, with similar increases being shown in NZBC (+ 49.0%, p = 0.006 and + 66.2%, p = 0.001; respectively). TLR4 and NF-κB were both elevated in NZBC at PRE(+ 54%, p = 0.003 and + 57%, p = 0.004; respectively). Main effects of study condition were also shown for BAX/BCL-2(p = 0.025) and Caspase 9 (p = 0.043); both were higher in NZBC.

CONCLUSION

7d of NZBC extract supplementation increased eHSP32 and PBMC HSP32 content. It also increased inflammatory and apoptotic markers in PBMC, suggesting that NZBC supports the putative inflammatory response that accompanies exertional-heat stress.

Divergent mechanisms regulate TLR4 expression on peripheral blood mononuclear cells following workload-matched exercise in normoxic and hypoxic environments

Exercise in hypoxia increases immune responses compared with normoxic exercise, and while Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is implicated in these responses, its regulation remains undefined. The purpose of this study was to 1) investigate TLR4 regulation during workload-matched endurance exercise in normoxic and hypoxic conditions in vivo and 2) determine the independent effects of hypoxia and muscle contractions on TLR4 expression in vitro. Eight recreationally active men cycled for 1 h at 65% of their V̇o2max in normoxia (630 mmHg) and in hypobaric hypoxia (440 mmHg). Exercise in normoxia decreased TLR4 expressed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), had no effect on the expression of inhibitor of κBα (IκBα), and increased the concentration of soluble TLR4 (sTLR4) in circulation. In contrast, exercise in hypoxia decreased the expression of TLR4 and IκBα in PBMCs, and sTLR4 in circulation. Markers of physiological stress were higher during exercise in hypoxia, correlating with markers of intestinal barrier damage, circulating lipopolysaccharides (LPS), and a concurrent decrease in circulating sTLR4, suggesting heightened TLR4 activation, internalization, and degradation in response to escalating physiological strain. In vitro, both hypoxia and myotube contractions independently, and in combination, reduced TLR4 expressed on C2C12 myotubes, and these effects were dependent on hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1). In summary, the regulation of TLR4 varies depending on the physiological stress during exercise. To our knowledge, our study provides the first evidence of exercise-induced effects on sTLR4 in vivo and highlights the essential role of HIF-1 in the reduction of TLR4 during contraction and hypoxia in vitro.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We provide the first evidence of exercise affecting soluble Toll-like receptor 4 (sTLR4), a TLR4 ligand decoy receptor. We found that the degree of exercise-induced physiological stress influences TLR4 regulation on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Moderate-intensity exercise reduces PBMC TLR4 and increases circulating sTLR4. Conversely, workload-matched exercise in hypoxia induces greater physiological stress, intestinal barrier damage, circulating lipopolysaccharides, and reduces both TLR4 and sTLR4, suggesting heightened TLR4 activation, internalization, and degradation under increased strain.

Optimizing human performance in extreme environments through precision medicine: From spaceflight to high-performance operations on Earth

Humans operating in extreme environments often conduct their operations at the edges of the limits of human performance. Sometimes, they are required to push these limits to previously unattained levels. As a result, their margins for error in execution are much smaller than that found in the general public. These same small margins for error that impact execution may also impact risk, safety, health, and even survival. Thus, humans operating in extreme environments have a need for greater refinement in their preparation, training, fitness, and medical care. Precision medicine (PM) is uniquely suited to address the needs of those engaged in these extreme operations because of its depth of molecular analysis, derived precision countermeasures, and ability to match each individual (and his or her specific molecular phenotype) with any given operating context (environment). Herein, we present an overview of a systems approach to PM in extreme environments, which affords clinicians one method to contextualize the inputs, processes, and outputs that can form the basis of a formal practice. For the sake of brevity, this overview is focused on molecular dynamics, while providing only a brief introduction to the also important physiologic and behavioral phenotypes in PM. Moreover, rather than a full review, it highlights important concepts, while using only selected citations to illustrate those concepts. It further explores, by demonstration, the basic principles of using functionally characterized molecular networks to guide the practical application of PM in extreme environments. At its core, PM in extreme environments is about attention to incremental gains and losses in molecular network efficiency that can scale to produce notable changes in health and performance. The aim of this overview is to provide a conceptual overview of one approach to PM in extreme environments, coupled with a selected suite of practical considerations for molecular profiling and countermeasures.

Metabolic Biomarkers of Red Beetroot Juice Intake at Rest and after Physical Exercise

BACKGROUND

Red beetroot is known to be a health-promoting food. However, little attention is placed on intestinal bioactive compound absorption. The aim of the study was to assess the urinary red beetroot juice (RBJ) intake biomarkers and possible differences in RBJ's micronutrient absorption at rest or after physical exercise.

METHODS

This is a three-armed, single-blind study, involving seven healthy volunteers which were randomly divided into three groups and alternatively assigned to three experimental sessions: RBJ intake at rest, RBJ intake with physical activity, and placebo intake with physical activity. For each session, urine samples were collected before and 120, 180, and 240 min after the intake of RBJ or placebo. The same sampling times were employed for the experimental session at rest. The RBJ metabolic composition was also characterized to identify the urinary biomarkers derived from the intake.

RESULTS

4-methylpyridine-2-carboxylic acid, dopamine-3-O-sulfate, glutamine, and 3-hydroxyisobutyrate were identified as RBJ intake biomarkers. Physical activity significantly increased only the dopamine-3-O-sulfate excretion 120 min after RBJ intake.

CONCLUSIONS

Urinary dopamine-3-O-sulfate is related to RBJ dopamine content, while 4-methylpyridine-2-carboxylic acid is a betanin or betalamic acid catabolite. The different excretions of these metabolites following physical activity suggest a possible effect on the RBJ uptake depending on different transport processes through the mucosa, namely diffusion-mediated transport for dopamine and saturable transcellular transport for betalamic acid derivatives. These results open new perspectives in improving the absorption of natural bioactive molecules through physical activity.

Akkermansia muciniphila improves heat stress-impaired intestinal barrier function by modulating HSP27 in Caco-2 cells

OBJECTIVE

Heat stress causes an elevation of intestinal epithelial barrier permeability and leads to multiple organ dysfunction in heatstroke. Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila) plays a role in maintaining intestinal integrity and improving the inflammatory state. This study aimed to investigate whether A. muciniphila could alleviate heat stress-induced dysfunction of intestinal permeability in Caco-2 monolayers and have the preventive effects on heatstroke.

METHODS

Human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells were preincubated with live or pasteurized A. muciniphila then exposed to heat stress at 43 °C. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and the flux of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) across cell monolayers were measured to determine intestinal permeability. The levels of the tight junction proteins Occludin, ZO-1 and HSP27 were analyzed by Western blotting. These proteins were immunostained and localized by fluorescence microscopy. TJ morphology was observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

RESULTS

Both live and pasteurized A. muciniphila effectively attenuated the decrease in TEER and impairment of intestinal permeability in HRP flux induced by heat exposure. A. muciniphila significantly elevated the expression of Occludin and ZO-1 by promoting HSP27 phosphorylation. The distortion and redistribution of tight junction proteins and disruption of morphology were also effectively prevented by pretreatment with A. muciniphila.

CONCLUSION

This study indicates for the first time that both live and pasteurized A. muciniphila play an important protective role against heat-induced permeability dysfunction and epithelial barrier damage.

The effects of collagen peptides on exercise-induced gastrointestinal stress: a randomized, controlled trial

PURPOSE

We examined the effects of collagen peptides (CP) supplementation on exercise-induced gastrointestinal (GI) stress.

METHODS

In a randomized, crossover design, 20 volunteers (16 males: [Formula: see text]O_2max, 53.4 ± 5.9 ml·kg^-1) completed 3 trials: a non-exercise rest trial, with no supplement (REST) and then an exercise trial with CP (10 g·day^-1) or placebo control (CON) supplements, which were consumed for 7 days prior to, and 45 min before, a 70 min run at 70-90% of [Formula: see text]O_2max. Outcome measures included urinary lactulose and rhamnose (L/R), intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), anti-LPS antibody, monocyte-chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin (IL) 6 and 8, cortisol, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (measured pre, 10 min post and 2 h post) and subjective GI symptoms.

RESULTS

There were no differences in heart rate, perceived exertion, thermal comfort, or core temperature during exercise in the CP and CON trials (all P > 0.05). I-FABP was higher in CP (2538 ± 1221 pg/ml) and CON (2541 ± 766 pg/ml) vs. REST 2 h post (1893 ± 1941 pg/ml) (both P < 0.05). LPS increased in CON vs. REST 2 h post (+ 71.8 pg/ml; P < 0.05). Anti-LPS antibody decreased in CON and CP vs. REST at post (both P < 0.05). There were no differences in MCP-1, IL-6, and IL-8 between the CP and CON trials (all P > 0.05), and no differences in L/R or GI symptoms between CON and CP (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Collagen peptides did not modify exercise-induced changes in inflammation, GI integrity or subjective GI symptoms but LPS was higher in CON 2 h post-exercise and thus future studies may be warranted.

No effect of a dairy-based, high flavonoid pre-workout beverage on exercise-induced intestinal injury, permeability, and inflammation in recreational cyclists: A randomized controlled crossover trial

BACKGROUND

Submaximal endurance exercise has been shown to cause elevated gastrointestinal permeability, injury, and inflammation, which may negatively impact athletic performance and recovery. Preclinical and some clinical studies suggest that flavonoids, a class of plant secondary metabolites, may regulate intestinal permeability and reduce chronic low-grade inflammation. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of supplemental flavonoid intake on intestinal health and cycling performance.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial was conducted with 12 cyclists (8 males and 4 females). Subjects consumed a dairy milk-based, high or low flavonoid (490 or 5 mg) pre-workout beverage daily for 15 days. At the end of each intervention, a submaximal cycling trial (45 min, 70% VO2max) was conducted in a controlled laboratory setting (23°C), followed by a 15-minute maximal effort time trial during which total work and distance were determined. Plasma samples were collected pre- and post-exercise (0h, 1h, and 4h post-exercise). The primary outcome was intestinal injury, assessed by within-subject comparison of plasma intestinal fatty acid-binding protein. Prior to study start, this trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03427879).

RESULTS

A significant time effect was observed for intestinal fatty acid binding protein and circulating cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α). No differences were observed between the low and high flavonoid treatment for intestinal permeability or injury. The flavonoid treatment tended to increase cycling work output (p = 0.051), though no differences were observed for cadence or total distance.

DISCUSSION

Sub-chronic supplementation with blueberry, cocoa, and green tea in a dairy-based pre-workout beverage did not alleviate exercise-induced intestinal injury during submaximal cycling, as compared to the control beverage (dairy-milk based with low flavonoid content).

A systematic review: Role of dietary supplements on markers of exercise-associated gut damage and permeability

Nutrition strategies and supplements may have a role to play in diminishing exercise associated gastrointestinal cell damage and permeability. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the influence of dietary supplements on markers of exercise-induced gut endothelial cell damage and/or permeability. Five databases were searched through to February 2021. Studies were selected that evaluated indirect markers of gut endothelial cell damage and permeability in response to exercise with and without a specified supplement, including with and without water. Acute and chronic supplementation protocols were included. Twenty-seven studies were included. The studies investigated a wide range of supplements including bovine colostrum, glutamine, probiotics, supplemental carbohydrate and protein, nitrate or nitrate precursors and water across a variety of endurance exercise protocols. The majority of studies using bovine colostrum and glutamine demonstrated a reduction in selected markers of gut cell damage and permeability compared to placebo conditions. Carbohydrate intake before and during exercise and maintaining euhydration may partially mitigate gut damage and permeability but coincide with other performance nutrition strategies. Single strain probiotic strains showed some positive findings, but the results are likely strain, dosage and duration specific. Bovine colostrum, glutamine, carbohydrate supplementation and maintaining euhydration may reduce exercise-associated endothelial damage and improve gut permeability. In spite of a large heterogeneity across the selected studies, appropriate inclusion of different nutrition strategies could mitigate the initial phases of gastrointestinal cell disturbances in athletes associated with exercise. However, research is needed to clarify if this will contribute to improved athlete gastrointestinal and performance outcomes.

Effects of oral cystine and glutamine on exercise-induced changes in gastrointestinal permeability and damage markers in young men

PURPOSE

Although acute prolonged strenuous exercise has been shown to increase markers of gastrointestinal permeability and damage, little is known regarding the efficacy of nutritional supplement interventions on the attenuation of exercise-induced gastrointestinal syndrome. This study addressed the effects of oral amino acid supplementation on markers of gastrointestinal permeability and damage in response to exercise.

METHODS

Sixteen active men aged 22.7 ± 2.6 years (mean ± standard deviation) completed placebo or cystine and glutamine supplementation trials in random order. Participants received either a placebo or cystine and glutamine supplements, three times a day for 5 days, separated by a 2-week washout period. On day 6, participants took their designated supplements 30 min before running at a speed corresponding to 75% of maximal oxygen uptake for 1 h, followed by a 4-h rest period. Blood samples were collected pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, 30 min post-exercise, and 1, 2 and 4 h post-exercise on day 6. The plasma lactulose to mannitol ratio (L:M) and plasma intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) were used as markers of gastrointestinal permeability and damage, respectively.

RESULTS

Plasma L:M (linear mixed model, coefficient ± standard error: - 0.011 ± 0.004, P = 0.0090) and changes (i.e., from pre-exercise) in plasma I-FABP (linear mixed model, - 195.3 ± 65.7 coefficient ± standard error (pg/mL), P = 0.0035) were lower in the cystine and glutamine supplementation trial than in the placebo trial.

CONCLUSION

Oral cystine and glutamine supplementation attenuated the markers of gastrointestinal permeability and damage after 1 h of strenuous running in young men.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

UMIN000026008.

DATE OF REGISTRATION

13 December 2018.

High altitude exposures and intestinal barrier dysfunction

Gastrointestinal complaints are often reported during ascents to high altitude (> 2500 m), though their etiology is not known. One potential explanation is injury to the intestinal barrier which has been implicated in the pathophysiology of several diseases. High altitude exposures can reduce splanchnic perfusion and blood oxygen levels causing hypoxic and oxidative stress. These stressors might injure the intestinal barrier leading to consequences such as bacterial translocation and local/systemic inflammatory responses. The purpose of this mini review is to 1) discuss the impact of high-altitude exposures on intestinal barrier dysfunction, and 2) present medications and dietary supplements which may have relevant impacts on the intestinal barrier during high-altitude exposures. There is a small but growing body of evidence which shows that acute exposures to high altitudes can damage the intestinal barrier. Initial data also suggests that prolonged hypoxic exposures can compromise the intestinal barrier through alterations in immunological function, microbiota, or mucosal layers. Exertion may worsen high-altitude related intestinal injury via additional reductions in splanchnic circulation and greater hypoxemia. Collectively these responses can result in increased intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation causing local and systemic inflammation. More research is needed to determine the impact of various medications and dietary supplements on the intestinal barrier during high-altitude exposures.

No protective benefits of low dose acute L-glutamine supplementation on small intestinal permeability, epithelial injury and bacterial translocation biomarkers in response to subclinical exertional-heat stress: A randomized cross-over trial

Exertional heat stress disrupts gastrointestinal permeability and, through subsequent bacterial translocation, can result in potentially fatal exertional heat stroke. Glutamine supplementation is a potential countermeasure although previously validated doses are not universally well tolerated. Ten males completed two 80-minute subclinical exertional heat stress tests (EHSTs) following either glutamine (0.3 g kg FFM^-1) or placebo supplementation. Small intestinal permeability was assessed using the lactulose/rhamnose dual sugar absorption test and small intestinal epithelial injury using Intestinal Fatty-Acid Binding Protein (I-FABP). Bacterial translocation was assessed using the total 16S bacterial DNA and Bacteroides/total 16S DNA ratio. The glutamine bolus was well tolerated, with no participants reporting symptoms of gastrointestinal intolerance. Small intestinal permeability was not influenced by glutamine supplementation (p = 0.06) although a medium effect size favoring the placebo trial was observed (d = 0.73). Both small intestinal epithelial injury (p < 0.01) and Bacteroides/total 16S DNA (p = 0.04) increased following exertional heat stress, but were uninfluenced by glutamine supplementation. Low-dose acute oral glutamine supplementation does not protect gastrointestinal injury, permeability, or bacterial translocation in response to subclinical exertional heat stress.

Sport supplements and the athlete's gut: a review

Vigorous or prolonged exercise poses a challenge to gastrointestinal system functioning and is associated with digestive symptoms. This narrative review addresses 1) the potential of dietary supplements to enhance gut function and reduce exercise-associated gastrointestinal symptoms and 2) strategies for reducing gastrointestinal-related side effects resulting from popular sports supplements. Several supplements, including probiotics, glutamine, and bovine colostrum, have been shown to reduce markers of gastrointestinal damage and permeability with exercise. Yet, the clinical ramifications of these findings are uncertain, as improvements in symptoms have not been consistently observed. Among these supplements, probiotics modestly reduced exercise-associated gastrointestinal symptoms in a few studies, suggesting they are the most evidenced-based choice for athletes looking to manage such symptoms through supplementation. Carbohydrate, caffeine, and sodium bicarbonate are evidence-based supplements that can trigger gastrointestinal symptoms. Using glucose-fructose mixtures is beneficial when carbohydrate ingestion is high (>50 g/h) during exercise, and undertaking multiple gut training sessions prior to competition may also be helpful. Approaches for preventing caffeine-induced gastrointestinal disturbances include using low-to-moderate doses (<500 mg) and avoiding/minimizing exacerbating factors (stress, anxiety, other stimulants, fasting). Adverse gastrointestinal effects of sodium bicarbonate can be avoided by using enteric-coated formulations, low doses (0.2 g/kg), or multi-day loading protocols.

Impact of 12-week exercise program on biomarkers of gut barrier integrity in patients with coronary artery disease

Introduction

Breakdown of gut barrier integrity has been associated with inflammatory activation and is implicated in the etiology of several chronic medical conditions. Acute exercise is known to increase gut barrier permeability but the impact of chronic exercise is not clear. Most studies to date have examined how acute exercise impacts gut barrier integrity in healthy adults, while few studies have examined the impact of chronic exercise in older adults with comorbidities. We aim to investigate the impact of a 12-week program of aerobic and resistance training on biomarkers of gut barrier integrity in a sample of older adults with coronary artery disease.

Methods

Participants were adults with coronary artery disease undergoing a moderate-intensity 12-week cardiac rehabilitation exercise program. Fasting blood samples were taken at baseline and study termination. Serum levels of biomarkers of gut barrier integrity (zonulin and fatty acid-binding protein 2 (FABP2)) were measured by ELISA. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by peak oxygen uptake (VO_2peak) at study start & completion. Data analyses were performed using SPSS software version 24.0.

Results

Among study participants (n = 41, 70% male, age = 62.7± 9.35) we found a significant negative association between baseline FABP2 levels and baseline VO_2peak in a multiple linear regression model adjusting for covariates (B = -0.3, p = 0.009). Over the course of the exercise program an increase in VO_2peak (≥ 5 mL/kg/min) was independently associated with a relative decrease in FABP2 (B = -0.45, p = 0.018) after controlling for medical covariates.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that an increase in cardiorespiratory fitness during a 12-week exercise program resulted in a relative improvement in a biomarker of gut barrier integrity. This indicates a potential mechanism by which longer term exercise may improve gut barrier integrity.

Acute L-Glutamine Supplementation does not improve Gastrointestinal Permeability, Injury or Microbial Translocation in Response to Exhaustive High Intensity Exertional-Heat Stress

PurposeExertional-heat stress adversely distrupts (GI) barrier integrity and, through subsequent microbial translocation (MT), can result in potentially fatal exertional-heat stroke. Acute glutamine (GLN) supplementation is a potential nutritional countermeasure, although the practical value of current supplementation regimens is questionable. Method: Ten males completed two high-intensity exertional-heat stress tests (EHST) involving running in the heat (40°C and 40% relative humidity) at lactate threshold to volitional exhaustion. Participants ingested GLN (0.3 g·kg·FFM^-1) or a non-calorific placebo (PLA) one hour prior to the EHST. Venous blood was drawn pre-, post- and one-hour post-EHST. GI permeability was assessed using a serum dual-sugar absorption test (DSAT) and small intestinal epithelial injury using plasma Intestinal Fatty-Acid Binding Protein (I-FABP). MT was assessed using the Bacteroides/total 16S DNA ratio. Results: Volitional exhaustion occurred after 22:19 ± 2:22 (minutes: seconds) in both conditions, during which whole-body physiological responses and GI symptoms were not different (p ˃ 0.05). GI permeability (serum DSAT) was greater following GLN (0.043 ± 0.020) than PLA (0.034 ± 0.019) (p = 0.02; d = 0.47), but small intestine epithelial injury (I-FABP) increased comparably (p = 0.22; η²p = 0.16) following the EHST in both trials (GLN Δ = 1.25 ± 0.63 ng·ml^-1; PLA Δ= 0.92 ± 0.44 ng·ml^-1). GI MT (Bacteroides/total 16S DNA ratio) was unchanged in either condition following the EHST (p = 0.43). Conclusion: Acute low-dose (0.3 g·kg^-1 fat free mass) GLN supplementation ingested one hour before high-intesity exertional-heat stress worsened GI permeability, but did not influence either small intestinal epithilial injury or microbial translocation.Highlights: The pathophysiology of exertional-heat stroke is widely hypothesised to be at least in part attributable to a systemic inflammatory response caused by the leak of gastrointestinal microbes into the circulating blood.Acute high-dose (0.9 g·kg·FFM^-1) _L-glutamine supplementation is widely promoted as a practical strategy to protect gastrointestinal barrier integrity during exertional-heat stress. However, previously validated doses are often poorly tolerated and cannot be recommended for widespread implementation.This study examined the efficacy of low-dose (0.30 g·kg·FFM^-1; ∼20 grams) acute _L-glutamine supplementation on small intestinal injury, permeability, and microbial translocation in response a high-intensity exertional-heat stress test to exhaustion (20 - 30 minutes). This type of exercise accounts for the majority of exertional-heat stroke cases in the military.Despite being universally well-tolerated across all participants, acute low-dose _L-glutamine supplementation worsened gastrointestinal permeability, without influencing either small intestinal injury or microbial translocation. These findings do not support the application of low-dose _L-glutamine supplementation to help prevent exertional-heat stroke.

Enhanced intestinal permeability and intestinal co-morbidities in heat strain: A review and case for autodigestion

Enhanced intestinal permeability is a pervasive issue in modern medicine, with implications demonstrably associated with significant health consequences such as sepsis, multiorgan failure, and death. Key issues involve the trigger mechanisms that could compromise intestinal integrity and increase local permeability allowing the passage of larger, potentially dangerous molecules. Heat stress, whether exertional or environmental, may modulate intestinal permeability and begs interesting questions in the context of global climate change, increasing population vulnerabilities, and public health. Emerging evidence indicates that intestinal leakage of digestive enzymes and associated cell dysfunctions--a process referred to as autodigestion--may play a critical role in systemic physiological damage within the body. This increased permeability is exacerbated in the presence of elevated core temperatures. We employed Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling methods to analyze the relationship between heat stress and the nascent theory of autodigestion in a systematic, quantifiable, and unbiased manner. From a corpus of 11,233 scientific articles across four relevant scientific journals (Gut, Shock, Temperature, Gastroenterology), it was found that over 1,000 documents expressed a relationship between intestine, enhanced permeability, core temperature, and heat stress. The association has grown stronger in recent years, as heat stress and potential autodigestion are investigated in tandem, yet still by a limited number of specific research studies. Such findings justify the design of future studies to critically test novel interventions against digestive enzymes permeating the intestinal tract, especially the small intestine.

Gastrointestinal pathophysiology during endurance exercise: endocrine, microbiome, and nutritional influences

Gastrointestinal symptoms are abundant among athletes engaging in endurance exercise, particularly when exercising in increased environmental temperatures, at higher intensities, or over extremely long distances. It is currently thought that prolonged ischemia, mechanical damage to the epithelial lining, and loss of epithelial barrier integrity are likely contributors of gastrointestinal (GI) distress during bouts of endurance exercise, but due to the many potential causes and sporadic nature of symptoms this phenomenon has proven difficult to study. In this review, we cover known factors that contribute to GI distress symptoms in athletes during exercise, while further attempting to identify novel avenues of future research to help elucidate mechanisms leading to symptomology. We explore the link between the intestinal microbiome, the integrity of the gut epithelia, and add detail on gut hormone and peptide secretion that could potentially contribute to GI distress symptoms in athletes. The influence of nutrition and dietary supplementation strategies are also detailed, where much research has opened up new ideas and potential mechanisms for understanding gut pathophysiology during exercise. The etiology of gastrointestinal symptoms during endurance exercise is multi-factorial with neuroendocrine, microbial, and nutritional factors likely contributing to specific, individualized symptoms. Recent work in previously unexplored areas of both microbiome and gut peptide secretion are pertinent areas for future work, and the numerous supplementation strategies explored to date have provided insight into physiological mechanisms that may be targetable to reduce the incidence and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms in athletes.

Dietary supplementary glutamine and L-carnitine enhanced the anti-cold stress of Arbor Acres broilers

Newborn poultry in cold regions often suffer from cold stress, causing a series of changes in their physiology and metabolism, leading to slow growth and decreased production performance. However, a single anti-stress substance cannot completely or maximally eliminate or alleviate the various effects of cold stress on animals. Therefore, the effects of the supplemented glutamine and L-carnitine on broilers under low temperature were evaluated in this study. Broilers were randomly allocated into 16 groups which were respectively fed with different levels of glutamine and L-carnitine according to the L16 (45) orthogonal experimental design for 3 weeks (the first week is the adaptive feeding period; the second and third weeks are the cold exposure period). Growth performance was recorded, and blood samples were collected during cold exposure. The results showed the supplementation had altered the plasma parameters, growth performance and cold-induced oxidative stress. The increase of corticosterone and suppression of thyroid hormone was ameliorated. Supplemented groups had lower daily feed intake and feed-to-gain ratio, higher daily weight gain and better relative weights of immune organs. Plasma glucose, total protein, blood urea nitrogen and alkaline phosphatase changed as well. Oxidative stress was mollified due to the improved activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, heightened total antioxidant capacity and stable malondialdehyde. Dietary glutamine and L-carnitine improve the growth performance, nutritional status and cold stress response of broilers at low temperature, and their interaction occurred.

Role of microbiota-gut-brain axis dysfunctions induced by infections in the onset of anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder characterized by low food intake, severe body weight loss, intense fear of gaining weight, and dysmorphophobia. This chronic disease is associated with both psychiatric and somatic comorbidities. Over the years, clinical studies have accumulated evidence that viral or bacterial infections may promote the onset of eating disorders such as AN. This review aims to describe how infections and the subsequent immune responses affect food intake regulation in the short term and also how these processes may lead to long-term intestinal disorders, including gut barrier disruption and gut microbiota dysbiosis, even after the clearance of the pathogens. We discuss in particular how infection-mediated intestinal dysbiosis may promote the onset of several AN symptoms and comorbidities, including appetite dysregulation, functional gastrointestinal disorders, and mood disorders.

Nutritional considerations to counteract gastrointestinal permeability during exertional heat stress

Intestinal barrier integrity and function are compromised during exertional heat stress (EHS) potentially leading to consequences that range from minor gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances to fatal outcomes in exertional heat stroke or septic shock. This mini-review provides a concise discussion of nutritional interventions that may protect against intestinal permeability during EHS and suggests physiological mechanisms responsible for this protection. Although diverse nutritional interventions have been suggested to be protective against EHS-induced GI permeability, the ingestion of certain amino acids, carbohydrates, and fluid per se is potentially effective strategy, whereas evidence for various polyphenols and pre/probiotics is developing. Plausible physiological mechanisms of protection include increased blood flow, epithelial cell proliferation, upregulation of intracellular heat shock proteins, modulation of inflammatory signaling, alteration of the GI microbiota, and increased expression of tight junction (TJ) proteins. Further clinical research is needed to propose specific nutritional candidates and recommendations for their application to prevent intestinal barrier disruption and elucidate mechanisms during EHS.

The Effects of Exercise on Indirect Markers of Gut Damage and Permeability: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

AIM

Exercise appears to cause damage to the endothelial lining of the human gastrointestinal tract and elicit a significant increase in gut permeability.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this review was to determine the effect of an acute bout of exercise on gut damage and permeability outcomes in healthy populations using a meta-analysis.

METHODS

PubMed, The Cochrane Library as well as MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus and CINHAL, via EBSCOhost were searched through February 2019. Studies were selected that evaluated urinary (ratio of disaccharide/monosaccharide excretion) or plasma markers [intestinal Fatty Acid Binding Protein (i-FABP)] of gut permeability and gut cell damage in response to a single bout of exercise.

RESULTS

A total of 34 studies were included. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed, and showed a large and moderate effect size for markers of gut damage (i-FABP) (ES 0.81; 95% CI 0.63-0.98; n = 26; p < 0.001) and gut permeability (Disaccharide Sugar/Monosaccharide Sugar) (ES 0.70; 95% CI 0.29-1.11; n = 17; p < 0.001), respectively. Exercise performed in hot conditions (> 23 °C) further increased markers of gut damage compared with thermoneutral conditions [ES 1.06 (95% CI 0.88-1.23) vs. 0.66 (95% CI 0.43-0.89); p < 0.001]. Exercise duration did not have any significant effect on gut damage or permeability outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings demonstrate that a single bout of exercise increases gut damage and gut permeability in healthy participants, with gut damage being exacerbated in hot environments. Further investigation into nutritional strategies to minimise gut damage and permeability after exercise is required. PROSPERO database number (CRD42018086339).

Intestinal Barrier Function in Health and Disease-Any role of SARS-CoV-2?

Alterations in the structure and function of the intestinal barrier play a role in the pathogenesis of a multitude of diseases. During the recent and ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, it has become clear that the gastrointestinal system and the gut barrier may be affected by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, and disruption of barrier functions or intestinal microbial dysbiosis may have an impact on the progression and severity of this new disease. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of current evidence on the involvement of gut alterations in human disease including COVID-19, with a prospective outlook on supportive therapeutic strategies that may be investigated to rescue intestinal barrier functions and possibly facilitate clinical improvement in these patients.

The Effect of Acute Glutamine Supplementation on Markers of Inflammation and Fatigue During Consecutive Days of Simulated Wildland Firefighting

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effect of oral glutamine supplementation on inflammation and fatigue during and after simulated wildland firefighting (WLFF) tasks in hot conditions over 2 consecutive days.

METHODS

Eleven men and women ingested a glutamine supplement or a placebo before and after simulated wildland firefighting in an environmental chamber (38 °C, 35% relative humidity). Subjective fatigue, markers of inflammation, and cellular stress were measured pre, post and 4 hours post-exercise on both days.

RESULTS

Gastrointestinal damage, subjective fatigue, and ratings of perceived exertion were lower after glutamine supplementation compared with placebo. Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and nuclear factor kappa-inhibitor alpha (IκBα) levels were higher on both days of the glutamine trial compared with placebo.

CONCLUSIONS

Glutamine supplementation may improve recovery after fire suppression in WLFFs. This may result from the upregulation of HSP70 which inhibits inflammation and protects against gastrointestinal (GI) barrier damage.

Exercise and intestinal permeability: another form of exercise-induced hormesis?

Regular aerobic exercise has numerous benefits on human physiology, arguably by serving as a hormetic stressor resulting in positive adaptations over time. It has long been known that aerobic exercise at a variety of intensities and durations induces intestinal permeability, which is a feature of many pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and metabolic diseases. Given the health benefits of exercise, it seems unlikely that intestinal permeability induced by exercise outweighs the positive adaptations. In fact, a growing body of evidence suggests adoption of exercise regimens lasting weeks to months improves indicators of intestinal permeability. In this brief review, we summarize factors contributing to acute exercise-induced intestinal permeability and what is known about chronic exercise and the gut barrier. Additionally, we outline known and theoretical adaptations of the gut to chronic exercise that may explain emerging reports that exercise improves markers of gut integrity.

Gastrointestinal Tolerance of Low, Medium and High Dose Acute Oral l-Glutamine Supplementation in Healthy Adults: A Pilot Study

l-Glutamine (GLN) is a conditionally essential amino acid which supports gastrointestinal (GI) and immune function prior to catabolic stress (e.g., strenuous exercise). Despite potential dose-dependent benefits, GI tolerance of acute high dose oral GLN supplementation is poorly characterised. Fourteen healthy males (25 ± 5 years; 1.79 ± 0.07 cm; 77.7 ± 9.8 kg; 14.8 ± 4.6% body fat) ingested 0.3 (LOW), 0.6 (MED) or 0.9 (HIGH) g·kg·FFM⁻¹ GLN beverages, in a randomised, double-blind, counter-balanced, cross-over trial. Individual and accumulated GI symptoms were recorded using a visual analogue scale at regular intervals up to 24-h post ingestion. GLN beverages were characterised by tonicity measurement and microscopic observations. 24-h accumulated upper- and lower- and total-GI symptoms were all greater in the HIGH, compared to LOW and MED trials (p < 0.05). Specific GI symptoms (discomfort, nausea, belching, upper GI pain) were all more pronounced on the HIGH versus LOW GLN trial (p < 0.05). Nevertheless, most symptoms were still rated as mild. In comparison, the remaining GI symptoms were either comparable (flatulence, urge to regurgitate, bloating, lower GI pain) or absent (heart burn, vomiting, urge to defecate, abnormal stools, stitch, dizziness) between trials (p > 0.05). All beverages were isotonic and contained a dose-dependent number of GLN crystals. Acute oral GLN ingestion in dosages up to 0.9 g·kg·FFM⁻¹ are generally well-tolerated. However, the severity of mild GI symptoms appeared dose-dependent during the first two hours post prandial and may be due to high-concentrations of GLN crystals.

Effect of 8 days of exercise-heat acclimation on aerobic exercise performance of men in hypobaric hypoxia

Exercise-heat acclimation (EHA) induces adaptations that improve tolerance to heat exposure. Whether adaptations from EHA can also alter responses to hypobaric hypoxia (HH) conditions remains unclear. This study assessed whether EHA can alter time-trial performance and/or incidence of acute mountain sickness (AMS) during HH exposure. Thirteen sea-level (SL) resident men [SL peak oxygen consumption (V̇o_2peak) 3.19 ± 0.43 L/min] completed steady-state exercise, followed by a 15-min cycle time trial and assessment of AMS before (HH1; 3,500 m) and after (HH2) an 8-day EHA protocol [120 min; 5 km/h; 2% incline; 40°C and 40% relative humidity (RH)]. EHA induced lower heart rate (HR) and core temperature and plasma volume expansion. Time-trial performance was not different between HH1 and HH2 after 2 h (106.3 ± 23.8 vs. 101.4 ± 23.0 kJ, P = 0.71) or 24 h (107.3 ± 23.4 vs. 106.3 ± 20.8 kJ, P > 0.9). From HH1 to HH2, HR and oxygen saturation, at the end of steady-state exercise and time-trial tests at 2 h and 24 h, were not different (P > 0.05). Three of 13 volunteers developed AMS during HH1 but not during HH2, whereas a fourth volunteer only developed AMS during HH2. Heat shock protein 70 was not different from HH1 to HH2 at SL [1.9 ± 0.7 vs. 1.8 ± 0.6 normalized integrated intensities (NII), P = 0.97] or after 23 h (1.8 ± 0.4 vs. 1.7 ± 0.5 NII, P = 0.78) at HH. Our results indicate that this EHA protocol had little to no effect-neither beneficial nor detrimental-on exercise performance in HH. EHA may reduce AMS in those who initially developed AMS; however, studies at higher elevations, having higher incidence rates, are needed to confirm our findings.

Alanyl-glutamine protects the intestinal barrier function in trained rats against the impact of acute exhaustive exercise

Strenuous exercise triggers deleterious effects on the intestinal epithelium, but their mechanisms are still uncertain. Here, we investigated whether a prolonged training and an additional exhaustive training protocol alter intestinal permeability and the putative effect of alanyl-glutamine (AG) pretreatment in this condition. Rats were allocated into 5 different groups: 1) sedentary; 2 and 3) trained (50 min per day, 5 days per week for 12 weeks) with or without 6 weeks oral (1.5 g/kg) AG supplementation; 4 and 5) trained and subjected to an additional exhaustive test protocol with or without oral AG supplementation. Venous blood samples were collected to determine gasometrical indices at the end of the 12-week protocol or after exhaustive test. Lactate and glucose levels were determined before, during, and after the exhaustive test. Ileum tissue collected after all experimental procedures was used for gene expression analysis of Zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1), occludin, claudin-2, and oligopeptide transporter 1 (PepT-1). Intestinal permeability was assessed by urinary lactulose/mannitol test collected after the 12-week protocol or the exhaustive test. The exhaustive test decreased pH and base excess and increased pCO₂. Training sessions delayed exhaustion time and reduced the changes in blood glucose and lactate levels. Trained rats exhibited upregulation of PEPT-1, ZO-1, and occludin mRNA, which were partially protected by AG. Exhaustive exercise induced intestinal paracellular leakage associated with the upregulation of claudin-2, a phenomenon protected by AG treatment. Thus, AG partially prevented intestinal training adaptations but also blocked paracellular leakage during exhaustive exercise involving claudin-2 and occludin gene expression.

Effects of an 8-Week Protein Supplementation Regimen with Hyperimmunized Cow Milk on Exercise-Induced Organ Damage and Inflammation in Male Runners: A Randomized, Placebo Controlled, Cross-Over Study

Prolonged strenuous exercise may induce inflammation, cause changes in gastrointestinal permeability, and lead to other unfavorable biological changes and diseases. Nutritional approaches have been used to prevent exercise-induced inflammatory responses and gastrointestinal disorders. Hyperimmunized milk, obtained by immunizing cows against specific antigens, promotes the development of immunity against pathogens, promotes anti-inflammatory effects, and protects intestinal function. Immune protein (IMP) is a concentrated product of hyperimmunized milk and is a more promising means of supplementation to protect against acute infections and inflammation. To determine whether IMP has protective properties against exercise-induced gastrointestinal dysfunction and inflammation, we examined biochemical markers, intestinal damage markers, and pro-/anti-inflammatory profiles of young male runners using a randomized, placebo controlled, cross-over design. Urine samples were collected and used for measurements of creatinine, N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase, osmotic pressure, and specific gravity. Titin was measured as a muscle damage marker. Further, urine concentrations of complement 5a, calprotectin, fractalkine, myeloperoxidase, macrophage colony-stimulating factor, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP), interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-1 receptor antagonist, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p40, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. We demonstrated that urine osmotic pressure, urine specific gravity, I-FABP, IFN-γ, IL-1β, and TNF-α were reduced by 8 weeks of IMP supplementation, indicating that IMP may have potential in preventing strenuous exercise-induced renal dysfunction, increased intestinal permeability, and inflammation. Thus, IMP supplementation may be a feasible nutritional approach for the prevention of unfavorable exercise-induced symptoms.

The Gastrointestinal Exertional Heat Stroke Paradigm: Pathophysiology, Assessment, Severity, Aetiology and Nutritional Countermeasures

Exertional heat stroke (EHS) is a life-threatening medical condition involving thermoregulatory failure and is the most severe condition along a continuum of heat-related illnesses. Current EHS policy guidance principally advocates a thermoregulatory management approach, despite growing recognition that gastrointestinal (GI) microbial translocation contributes to disease pathophysiology. Contemporary research has focused to understand the relevance of GI barrier integrity and strategies to maintain it during periods of exertional-heat stress. GI barrier integrity can be assessed non-invasively using a variety of in vivo techniques, including active inert mixed-weight molecular probe recovery tests and passive biomarkers indicative of GI structural integrity loss or microbial translocation. Strenuous exercise is strongly characterised to disrupt GI barrier integrity, and aspects of this response correlate with the corresponding magnitude of thermal strain. The aetiology of GI barrier integrity loss following exertional-heat stress is poorly understood, though may directly relate to localised hyperthermia, splanchnic hypoperfusion-mediated ischemic injury, and neuroendocrine-immune alterations. Nutritional countermeasures to maintain GI barrier integrity following exertional-heat stress provide a promising approach to mitigate EHS. The focus of this review is to evaluate: (1) the GI paradigm of exertional heat stroke; (2) techniques to assess GI barrier integrity; (3) typical GI barrier integrity responses to exertional-heat stress; (4) the aetiology of GI barrier integrity loss following exertional-heat stress; and (5) nutritional countermeasures to maintain GI barrier integrity in response to exertional-heat stress.

Heat acclimation-induced intracellular HSP70 in humans: a meta-analysis

Heat acclimation (HA) in humans promotes thermoregulatory adaptations that support management of core temperature in hot environments and reduces the likelihood of heat related illness. Another adaptation to HA is thermotolerance through induction of the heat shock protein (HSP) stress system, which provides protection against thermal insult. However, whether or not HA leads to upregulation of the intracellular HSP system, namely intracellular HSP70 (HSP70), is unclear in humans. Therefore, the purposes of this meta-analysis were to determine if HA leads to HSP70 induction among humans and to evaluate how methodological differences among HA studies influence findings regarding HA-induced HSP70 accumulation. Several databases were searched to identify studies that measured HSP70 (protein and mRNA) changes in response to HA among humans. The effect of HA on HSP70 was analyzed. Differences in the effect of HA were assessed between protein and mRNA. The moderating effect of several independent variables (HA frequency, HA duration, core temperature, exercise intensity) on HSP70 was also evaluated. Data were extracted from 12 studies including 118 participants (mean age 24 years, 98% male). There was a significant effect of HA on HSP70 expression, g = 0.97 (95% CI, 0.08-1.89). The effect of HA was different between subgroups (protein vs. mRNA), g = 1.51 (95% CI, 0.71-2.31), and g = - 0.39 (95% CI, - 1.36), respectively. The frequency of HA (in days) moderated HSP70 protein expression. There was a significant effect of heat acclimation on HSP70 induction in humans. The only factor among identified studies that may moderate this response was the frequency (number of days) of heat exposure.

Heat Adaptation in Military Personnel: Mitigating Risk, Maximizing Performance

The study of heat adaptation in military personnel offers generalizable insights into a variety of sporting, recreational and occupational populations. Conversely, certain characteristics of military employment have few parallels in civilian life, such as the imperative to achieve mission objectives during deployed operations, the opportunity to undergo training and selection for elite units or the requirement to fulfill essential duties under prolonged thermal stress. In such settings, achieving peak individual performance can be critical to organizational success. Short-notice deployment to a hot operational or training environment, exposure to high intensity exercise and undertaking ceremonial duties during extreme weather may challenge the ability to protect personnel from excessive thermal strain, especially where heat adaptation is incomplete. Graded and progressive acclimatization can reduce morbidity substantially and impact on mortality rates, yet individual variation in adaptation has the potential to undermine empirical approaches. Incapacity under heat stress can present the military with medical, occupational and logistic challenges requiring dynamic risk stratification during initial and subsequent heat stress. Using data from large studies of military personnel observing traditional and more contemporary acclimatization practices, this review article (1) characterizes the physical challenges that military training and deployed operations present (2) considers how heat adaptation has been used to augment military performance under thermal stress and (3) identifies potential solutions to optimize the risk-performance paradigm, including those with broader relevance to other populations exposed to heat stress.

Heat alleviation strategies for athletic performance: A review and practitioner guidelines

International competition inevitably presents logistical challenges for athletes. Events such as the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games require further consideration given historical climate data suggest athletes will experience significant heat stress. Given the expected climate, athletes face major challenges to health and performance. With this in mind, heat alleviation strategies should be a fundamental consideration. This review provides a focused perspective of the relevant literature describing how practitioners can structure male and female athlete preparations for performance in hot, humid conditions. Whilst scientific literature commonly describes experimental work, with a primary focus on maximizing magnitudes of adaptive responses, this may sacrifice ecological validity, particularly for athletes whom must balance logistical considerations aligned with integrating environmental preparation around training, tapering and travel plans. Additionally, opportunities for sophisticated interventions may not be possible in the constrained environment of the athlete village or event arenas. This review therefore takes knowledge gained from robust experimental work, interprets it and provides direction on how practitioners/coaches can optimize their athletes' heat alleviation strategies. This review identifies two distinct heat alleviation themes that should be considered to form an individualized strategy for the athlete to enhance thermoregulatory/performance physiology. First, chronic heat alleviation techniques are outlined, these describe interventions such as heat acclimation, which are implemented pre, during and post-training to prepare for the increased heat stress. Second, acute heat alleviation techniques that are implemented immediately prior to, and sometimes during the event are discussed. Abbreviations: CWI: Cold water immersion; HA: Heat acclimation; HR: Heart rate; HSP: Heat shock protein; HWI: Hot water immersion; LTHA: Long-term heat acclimation; MTHA: Medium-term heat acclimation; ODHA: Once-daily heat acclimation; RH: Relative humidity; RPE: Rating of perceived exertion; STHA: Short-term heat acclimation; TCORE: Core temperature; TDHA: Twice-daily heat acclimation; TS: Thermal sensation; TSKIN: Skin temperature; V̇O2max: Maximal oxygen uptake; WGBT: Wet bulb globe temperature.

Acute glutamine supplementation does not improve 20-km self-paced cycling performance in the heat

INTRODUCTION

The premise of this study was to investigate the effect of acute glutamine supplementation on 20 km time trial cycling performance in the heat, neuromuscular function, inflammation and endotoxemia.

METHODS

Twelve cyclists completed two, 20-km time trials (20TT) in 35 °C (50% relative humidity). Participants ingested either glutamine (GLUT; 0.9 g kg^-1 fat-free mass) or a placebo (CON) 60 min before each 20TT. Physiological and perceptual measures were recorded during each 20TT, and neuromuscular function assessed pre- and post-exercise. Venous blood was analysed for endotoxins, markers of gut damage (inflammatory fatty acid binding protein; I-FABP) and inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6, IL-6; tumour necrosis factor-alpha, TNF-α). Data were analysed using linear mixed models in a Bayesian framework.

RESULTS

20TT in the heat increased I-FABP and elevated inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α) compared to pre-exercise values but did not result in endotoxemia. Completion time was not statistically different between conditions (mean difference [95% credible interval] = 11 s [- 23, 44]). Relative to CON, GLUT did not alter any physiological or perceptual measures during the 20TT.

CONCLUSION

Glutamine supplementation does not improve 20TT performance in the heat or preserve neuromuscular function when compared to a placebo. These findings suggest that glutamine is not an ergogenic aid or prophylactic intervention for heat-induced gut damage during short-duration self-paced exercise in hot environments.

Impact of Physical Exercise on Gut Microbiome, Inflammation, and the Pathobiology of Metabolic Disorders

BACKGROUND

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) harbors a complex and diverse microbial composition that outnumbers our own body cells and their gene contents. These microbes play a significant role in host metabolism and energy homeostasis. Emerging evidence suggests that the GIT microbiome significantly contributes to host health and that impairments in the microbiome may cause the development of metabolic diseases. The microbiome architecture is shaped by several genetic and environmental factors, including nutrition and physical activity. Physical exercise has preventive or therapeutic effects in respiratory, cardiovascular, neuroendocrine, and muscular diseases. Yet, we still have little information of the beneficial effects of physical exercise on GIT health and microbial composition. Furthermore, we are not aware whether exercise-derived benefits on microbiome diversity can beneficially influence other tissues and body organs.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this article is to review the available literature on exercise-induced microbiome changes and to explain how these changes may induce inflammatory, immune, and oxidative responses that may contribute to the improvement of metabolic disorders.

METHODS

A systemic and comprehensive search of the relevant literature using MEDLINE and Google Scholar databases was conducted during fall 2018 and spring 2019. The search identified sixty-two research and review articles that discussed exercise-induced microbiome changes.

RESULTS

The review of the relevant literature suggests that exercise-induced microbial changes affect the host's immune pathways and improve energy homeostasis. Microbes release certain neuroendocrine and immune-modulatory factors that may lower inflammatory and oxidative stress and relieve patients suffering from metabolic disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

Exercise-induced changes in microbial diversity are able to improve tissue metabolism, cardiorespiratory fitness, and insulin resistance.

Oral Glutamine Supplement Reduces Subjective Fatigue Ratings during Repeated Bouts of Firefighting Simulations

Wildland firefighting requires repetitive (e.g., consecutive work shifts) physical work in dangerous conditions (e.g., heat and pollution). Workers commonly enter these environments in a nonacclimated state, leading to fatigue and heightened injury risk. Strategies to improve tolerance to these stressors are lacking. Purpose: To determine if glutamine ingestion prior to and after consecutive days of firefighting simulations in the heat attenuates subjective ratings of fatigue, and evaluate if results were supported by glutamine-induced upregulation of biological stress responses. Methods: Participants (5 male, 3 female) ingested glutamine (0.15 g/kg/day) or a placebo before and after two consecutive days (separated by 24 h) of firefighter simulations in a heated chamber (35 °C, 35% humidity). Perceived fatigue and biological stress were measured pre-, post-, and 4 h postexercise in each trial. Results: Subjective fatigue was reduced pre-exercise on Day 2 in the glutamine group (p < 0.05). Peripheral mononuclear cell expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and serum antioxidants were elevated at 4 h postexercise on Day 1 in the glutamine trial (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Ingestion of glutamine before and after repeated firefighter simulations in the heat resulted in reduced subjective fatigue on Day 2, which may be a result of the upregulation of biological stress systems (antioxidants, HSPs). This response may support recovery and improve work performance.

Exertional-heat stress-associated gastrointestinal perturbations during Olympic sports: Management strategies for athletes preparing and competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games

Exercise-induced gastrointestinal syndrome (EIGS) is a common characteristic of exercise. The causes appear to be multifactorial in origin, but stem primarily from splanchnic hypoperfusion and increased sympathetic drive. These primary causes can lead to secondary outcomes that include increased intestinal epithelial injury and gastrointestinal hyperpermeability, systemic endotoxemia, and responsive cytokinemia, and impaired gastrointestinal function (i.e. transit, digestion, and absorption). Impaired gastrointestinal integrity and functional responses may predispose individuals, engaged in strenuous exercise, to gastrointestinal symptoms (GIS), and health complications of clinical significance, both of which may have exercise performance implications. There is a growing body of evidence indicating heat exposure during exercise (i.e. exertional-heat stress) can substantially exacerbate these gastrointestinal perturbations, proportionally to the magnitude of exertional-heat stress, which is of major concern for athletes preparing for and competing in the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. To date, various hydration and nutritional strategies have been explored to prevent or ameliorate exertional-heat stress associated gastrointestinal perturbations. The aims of the current review are to comprehensively explore the impact of exertional-heat stress on markers of EIGS, examine the evidence for the prevention and (or) management of EIGS in relation to exertional-heat stress, and establish best-practice nutritional recommendations for counteracting EIGS and associated GIS in athletes preparing for and competing in Tokyo 2020.

Treatment Interventions for the Management of Intestinal Permeability: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Complementary and Integrative Medicine Practitioners

Objectives: This study aims to explore the treatment interventions complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) practitioners use in the management of an emerging health condition, increased intestinal permeability (IP), and the association these methods have on the observed time to resolve this condition. Design and setting: A cross-sectional survey of Australian naturopaths, nutritionists, and Western herbal medicine practitioners was undertaken (n = 227) through the Practitioner Research and Collaboration Initiative (PRACI) network. Outcome measures: Frequencies and percentages of the treatment methods, including chi-square analysis to examine the associations between treatment methods and observed time to resolve IP. Results: Thirty-six CIM practitioners responded to the survey (response rate 15.9%). CIM practitioners were found to use a multimodal approach in the management of IP with 92.6% of respondents using three or more categories of treatment interventions (nutritional, herbal, dietary, and lifestyle) with a mean total of 43.0 ± 24.89 single treatment interventions frequently prescribed. The main treatments prescribed in the management of IP were zinc (85.2%), probiotics: multistrain (77.8%), vitamin D (75.0%), glutamine (73.1%), Curcuma longa (73.1%), and Saccharomyces boulardii (70.4%). CIM practitioners also advocate patients with IP to reduce alcohol (96.3%), gluten (85.2%), and dairy (75.0%) consumption. Evaluation of antibiotics (75.0%) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (73.1%) prescriptions were frequently advised by CIM practitioners. A longer observed time to resolve IP was seen in CIM practitioners who did not reduce intense exercise in the management of IP (p = 0.02). Conclusions: This study represents the first survey of the treatments prescribed by CIM practitioners for IP and suggests that CIM practitioners use numerous integrative treatment methods for the management of IP. The treatment interventions frequently prescribed by CIM practitioners align with preclinical research, suggesting that CIM practitioners prescribe in accordance with the published literature. The findings of this study contribute to the implementation of clinical research in the management of IP, which considers multiple concurrent treatments.

Exercise influence on the microbiome-gut-brain axis

The microbiome in the gut is a diverse environment, housing the majority of our bacterial microbes. This microecosystem has a symbiotic relationship with the surrounding multicellular organism, and a balance and diversity of specific phyla of bacteria support general health. When gut bacteria diversity diminishes, there are systemic consequences, such as gastrointestinal and psychological distress. This pathway of communication is known as the microbiome-gut-brain axis. Interventions such as probiotic supplementation that influence microbiome also improve both gut and brain disorders. Recent evidence suggests that aerobic exercise improves the diversity and abundance of genera from the Firmcutes phylum, which may be the link between the positive effects of exercise on the gut and brain. The purpose of this review is to explain the complex communication pathway of the microbiome-gut-brain axis and further examine the role of exercise on influencing this communication highway.

Association Between Exercise-Induced Hyperthermia and Intestinal Permeability: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Prolonged and strenuous physical exercise increases intestinal permeability, allowing luminal endotoxins to translocate through the intestinal barrier and reach the bloodstream. When recognized by the immune system, these endotoxins trigger a systemic inflammatory response that may affect physical performance and, in severe cases, induce heat stroke. However, it remains to be elucidated whether there is a relationship between the magnitude of exercise-induced hyperthermia and changes in intestinal permeability.

OBJECTIVE

In this systematic review, we evaluated whether an exercise-induced increase in core body temperature (T _Core) is associated with an exercise-induced increase in intestinal permeability.

METHODS

The present systematic review screened the MEDLINE/PubMed and Web of Science databases in September 2016, without any date restrictions. Sixteen studies that were performed in healthy participants, presented original data, and measured both the exercise-induced changes in T _Core and intestinal permeability were selected. These studies assessed intestinal permeability through the measurement of sugar levels in the urine and measurement of intestinal fatty acid binding protein or lipopolysaccharide levels in the blood.

RESULTS

Exercise increased both T _Core and intestinal permeability in most of the 16 studies. In addition, a positive and strong correlation was observed between the two parameters (r = 0.793; p < 0.001), and a T _Core exceeding 39 °C was always associated with augmented permeability.

CONCLUSION

The magnitude of exercise-induced hyperthermia is directly associated with the increase in intestinal permeability.

Dietary Nutrients and Bioactive Substances Modulate Heat Shock Protein (HSP) Expression: A Review

Interest in the heat shock proteins (HSPs), as a natural physiological toolkit of living organisms, has ranged from their chaperone function in nascent proteins to the remedial role following cell stress. As part of the defence system, HSPs guarantee cell tolerance against a variety of stressors, including exercise, oxidative stress, hyper and hypothermia, hyper and hypoxia and improper diets. For the past couple of decades, research on functional foods has revealed a number of substances likely to trigger cell protection through mechanisms that involve the induction of HSP expression. This review will summarize the occurrence of the most easily inducible HSPs and describe the effects of dietary proteins, peptides, amino acids, probiotics, high-fat diets and other food-derived substances reported to induce HSP response in animals and humans studies. Future research may clarify the mechanisms and explore the usefulness of this natural alternative of defense and the modulating mechanism of each substance.

The effect of glutamine supplementation on athletic performance, body composition, and immune function: A systematic review and a meta-analysis of clinical trials

BACKGROUND & AIM

This systematic review and meta-analysis of available evidence was conducted to obtain a conclusive result on the effects of glutamine supplementation on athletes.

METHODS

Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data related to body mass, lean body mass, body fat percentage, Vo2 max, lymphocytes, leukocytes and neutrophil counts were extracted to determine the effects of GLN on performance outcomes.

DATA SOURCES

The literature search was conducted across the databases Pubmed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, SID (Scientific Information Database) and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, covering a period up to January 2017.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES

Clinical trials evaluating glutamine supplementation outcomes on athletes aged over 18 were included.

RESULTS

A total of 47 studies were included in the systematic review, and 25 trials matched the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. According to the meta-analysis, glutamine has a significant effect on weight reduction (WMD = -1.36 [95% CI: -2.55 to -0.16], p = 0.02). Moreover, neutrophil numbers were reduced following glutamine intake at doses greater than 200 mg/kg body weight (WMD = -605.77 [95% CI: -1200.0 to 52.1]; P = 0.03). Also, supplementation by glutamine dipeptide resulted in higher blood glucose after exercise (WMD = 0.51 [95% CI: 0.18, 0.83] mmol/l; P = 0.002). There was no association between glutamine ingestion and other outcomes investigated.

CONCLUSION

According to this meta-analysis, generally, glutamine supplementation has no effect on athletics immune system, aerobic performance, and body composition. However, the current study showed that glutamine resulted in greater weight reduction. In addition, the present study suggests that the efficacy of glutamine supplementation on neutrophil numbers could be affected by supplement type and dose.

Acute glutamine ingestion modulates lymphocytic responses to exhaustive exercise in the heat

The purpose of this study was to determine if acute intake of glutamine modulates homeostatic, hematologic, immune, and inflammatory responses to exhaustive exercise in the heat. Thirteen healthy, untrained young men participated in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. They served as their own control and completed 2 trials of treadmill exercise at 40% maximal oxygen uptake to exhaustion in a hot environment (temperature, 38.0 ± 1.0 °C; relative humidity, 60.0% ± 5.0%; oxygen, 20.8%) following placebo (PLA) and glutamine (GLN) consumption. Heart rate, gastrointestinal temperature, forehead temperature, the rating of perceived exertion, and body weight were measured. Blood samples were collected before and after exercise. After exhaustive exercise in the heat (PLA vs. GLN: 42.0 ± 9.5 vs. 39.6 ± 7.8 min, p > 0.05), significant changes in homeostatic, hematologic, and immune parameters (elevated natural killer (NK) cells and neutrophils, and reduced CD4+/CD8+ ratio and CD19+ lymphocytes) were found in the control group owing to the time effect (p < 0.05). Moreover, a condition × time interaction effect was observed for the absolute count of CD3+ (F = 4.26, p < 0.05) and CD3+CD8+ T lymphocytes (F = 4.27, p < 0.05), which were elevated following acute glutamine intervention. While a potential interaction effect was also observed for the absolute count of CD3+CD4+ T lymphocytes (F = 3.21, p = 0.08), no condition or interaction effects were found for any other outcome measures. The results of this study suggest that acute glutamine ingestion evokes CD3+ and CD3+CD8+ T lymphocytosis but does not modulate neutrophil and NK cell leukocytosis and immune disturbances after exhaustive exercise in the heat.

Effect of parenteral glutamine supplementation combined with enteral nutrition on Hsp90 expression and Peyer's patch apoptosis in severely burned rats

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of parenteral glutamine (GLN) supplementation combined with enteral nutrition (EN) on heat shock protein (Hsp) 90 expression and Peyer's patch (PP) apoptosis in severely burned rats.

METHODS

Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned to four groups: Sham burn + EN + GLN-free amino acid (AA; n = 10), sham burn + EN + GLN (n = 10), burn + EN + AA (n = 10), and burn + EN + GLN (n = 10). Two hours after a 30% total body surface area (TBSA), full-thickness scald burn injury on the back, burned rats in two of the experimental groups (burn + EN + AA and burn + EN + GLN groups) were fed with a conventional EN solution by oral gavage for 7 d. Simultaneously, rats in the burn + EN + GLN group were given 0.35 g GLN/kg body weight/d once via a tail vein injection for 7 d and rats in the burn + EN + AA group were administered isocaloric/isonitrogenous GLN-free amino acid solution (Tyrosine) for comparison. Rats in two sham burn control groups (sham burn + EN + AA and sham burn + EN + GLN groups) were treated in the same manner except for the burn injury. All rats in the four groups were given 175 kcal/kg body wt/d. There was isonitrogenous, isovolumic, and isocaloric intake among the four groups. At the end of the seventh day after completion of the nutritional program, all rats were anesthetized and samples were collected for further analysis. PP apoptosis was measured by terminal deoxyuridine nick-end labeling (TUNEL). The expression of Hsp90 in PPs was analyzed by western blotting. Caspase-3 activity of PPs was also assessed. Levels of proinflammatory cytokines of gut tissues were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The intestinal immunoglobulin A (IgA) content was also determined by ELISA.

RESULTS

The results revealed that intestinal IgA content in rats of the burn + EN + GLN group were significantly increased compared with those in the burn + EN + AA group (P < 0.05). The expression of Hsp90 of PPs in rats in the burn + EN + GLN group was significantly upregulated compared with those in the burn + EN + AA group (P < 0.05). On the other hand, levels of proinflammatory cytokines of gut tissues, caspase-3 activity, and the number of TUNEL-stained cells of PPs in rats of the burn + EN + GLN group were markedly decreased compared with those of the burn + EN + AA group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study show that parenteral glutamine supplementation combined with EN may upregulate the expression of Hsp90, reduce caspase-3 activity, lessen the release of proinflammatory cytokines, attenuate PP apoptosis, and improve intestinal IgA response in burned rats. Clinically, therapeutic efforts to improve intestinal immunity may contribute to a favorable outcome in severely burned patients.