Assessing the relationship between physical activity and the gut microbiome in a large, population-based sample of Wisconsin adults

Gut microbiota and physical activity level: characterization from sedentary to soccer players

Evidence of the relationship between physical activity and gut microbiota composition is steadily increasing. The purpose of the study is to compare the gut microbiota composition of a group of elite male soccer players with a group of subjects with different physical activity levels. Cross-sectional studies were performed on 91 healthy young males, in detail: 17 elite soccer players (23.7 ± 4.2 yrs, BMI 23.2 ± 1.2 kg/m2); 14 with high levels of physical training (24.5 ± 5.6 yrs, BMI 22.7 ± 0.8 kg/m2); 23 with moderate levels of physical training (29.3 ± 3.9 yrs, BMI 22.5 ± 0.8 kg/m2); and 37 healthy men without exercise habits (28.1 ± 5.9 yrs, BMI 22.4 ± 1.0 kg/m2). Relative microbiota composition was determined by analyzing DNA extracted from stool samples. The quality and quantity of extracted DNA were assessed using a Qubit Fluorometer. Differences between subjects' populations were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA, and Bonferroni's post-hoc test was employed to identify localized effects. Elite soccer players and subjects with high physical activity levels showed a significantly higher prevalence of the nine microbiota populations analyzed than subjects with moderate physical training or who were sedentary. No differences were found in the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio among the different study populations. This study reports the gut microbiota parameters of elite footballers for the first time. In addition, it brings new insights into the effects of different levels of physical activity on the composition of the gut microbiota.

L.acidophilus HSCC LA042 and HKL suspension ameliorate DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in mice by improving the intestinal barrier inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome and pathogenic bacteria

Ulcerative Colitis(UC) is a chronic intestinal inflammation affecting the intestines, yet its underlying causes remain unclear. In recent decades, the global prevalence of UC has been on the rise, leading to an increasing demand for therapeutic drugs with minimal side effects. Huan Kui Le (HKL), a traditional Chinese medicine compound, has demonstrated promising efficacy when combined with Lactobacillus acidophilus (Lac.) for UC intervention. However, the precise therapeutic mechanism of this combination remains unknown. The study focused on understanding the mechanisms of UC by examining the effects of Lac. and HKL (LH) treatment. The outcomes discovered that the disruption of gut microbiota, triggered by the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, plays a crucial role in UC development. This disruption exacerbates UC symptoms by causing disturbances in inflammatory cytokines and mucosal permeability. We investigated the dynamic changes following the application of this treatment using 16S rRNA sequencing, HE, WB, IHC, and ELISA. Compared with the UC group, LH treatment reduced colon pathological injury, improved colon length, and decreased IL-1 β serum levels. Furthermore, it restored the expression of TJs and preserved mucosal barrier integrity. LH treatment also mitigated colon injury by attenuating the expression of pyroptosis-related genes and proteins, such as NLRP3 and Caspase-1. Additionally, LH treatment altered the gut microbiota's microecology, characterized by a reduction in pathogenic bacteria abundance like Escherichia-shigella and an increase in beneficial bacteria abundance like Akkermansia and Erysipelatoclostridium. Overall, our findings indicate that LH therapy may be associated with intestinal barrier repair, inflammasome inhibition, and gut microbiota regulation, suggesting its potential as a UC treatment.

Associations of gut microbiome richness and diversity with objective and subjective sleep measures in a population sample

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Alterations in gut microbiota composition have been associated with several conditions, and there is emerging evidence that sleep quantity and quality are associated with the composition of the gut microbiome. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the associations between several measures of sleep and the gut microbiome in a large, population-based sample.

METHODS

Data were collected from participants in the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin from 2016 to 2017 (N = 720). Alpha diversity was estimated using Chao1 richness, Shannon's diversity, and Inverse Simpson's diversity. Beta diversity was estimated using Bray-Curtis dissimilarity. Models for each of the alpha-diversity outcomes were calculated using linear mixed effects models. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance tests were performed to test whether gut microbiome composition differed by sleep measures. Negative binomial models were used to assess whether sleep measures were associated with individual taxa relative abundance.

RESULTS

Participants were a mean (SD) age of 55 (16) years and 58% were female. The sample was 83% non-Hispanic white, 10.6% non-Hispanic black, and 3.5% Hispanic. Greater actigraphy-measured night-to-night sleep duration variability, wake-after-sleep onset, lower sleep efficiency, and worse self-reported sleep quality were associated with lower microbiome richness and diversity. Sleep variables were associated with beta-diversity, including actigraphy-measured night-to-night sleep duration variability, sleep latency and efficiency, and self-reported sleep quality, sleep apnea, and napping. Relative abundance of several taxa was associated with night-to-night sleep duration variability, average sleep latency and sleep efficiency, and sleep quality.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that sleep may be associated with the composition of the gut microbiome. These results contribute to the body of evidence that modifiable health habits can influence the human gut microbiome.

The Association between Caffeine Intake and the Colonic Mucosa-Associated Gut Microbiota in Humans-A Preliminary Investigation

We examined the association between caffeine and coffee intake and the community composition and structure of colonic microbiota. A total of 34 polyp-free adults donated 97 colonic biopsies. Microbial DNA was sequenced for the 16S rRNA gene V4 region. The amplicon sequence variant was assigned using DADA2 and SILVA. Food consumption was ascertained using a food frequency questionnaire. We compared the relative abundance of taxonomies by low (<82.9 mg) vs. high (≥82.9 mg) caffeine intake and by never or <2 cups vs. 2 cups vs. ≥3 cups coffee intake. False discovery rate-adjusted p values (q values) <0.05 indicated statistical significance. Multivariable negative binomial regression models were used to estimate the incidence rate ratio and its 95% confidence interval of having a non-zero count of certain bacteria by intake level. Higher caffeine and coffee intake was related to higher alpha diversity (Shannon index p < 0.001), higher relative abundance of Faecalibacterium and Alistipes, and lower relative abundance of Erysipelatoclostridium (q values < 0.05). After adjustment of vitamin B2 in multivariate analysis, the significant inverse association between Erysipelatoclostridium count and caffeine intake remained statistically significant. Our preliminary study could not evaluate other prebiotics in coffee.