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Toda K, Yoshimoto S, Yoshida K, Mitsuyama E, Iwabuchi N, Hosomi K, Sanada TJ, Tanaka M, Nanri H, Kunisawa J, Odamaki T, Miyachi M. An Exploratory Study on Seasonal Variation in the Gut Microbiota of Athletes: Insights from Japanese Handball Players. Microorganisms 2024; 12:781. [PMID: 38674725 PMCID: PMC11051819 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12040781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite accumulating evidence that suggests a unique gut microbiota composition in athletes, a comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon is lacking. Furthermore, seasonal variation in the gut microbiota of athletes, particularly during the off-season, remains underexplored. This study aimed to compare the gut microbiotas between athletic subjects (AS) and non-athletic subjects (NS), and to investigate variations between athletic and off-season periods. The data were derived from an observational study involving Japanese male handball players. The results revealed a distinct gut microbiota composition in AS compared with NS, characterized by significantly higher alpha-diversity and a greater relative abundance of Faecalibacterium and Streptococcus. Moreover, a comparative analysis between athletic and off-season periods in AS demonstrated a significant change in alpha-diversity. Notably, AS exhibited significantly higher alpha-diversity than NS during the athletic season, but no significant difference was observed during the off-season. This study demonstrates the characteristics of the gut microbiota of Japanese handball players and highlights the potential for changes in alpha-diversity during the off-season. These findings contribute to our understanding of the dynamic nature of the gut microbiota of athletes throughout the season.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuya Toda
- Innovative Research Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Zama 252-8583, Kanagawa, Japan; (K.T.); (S.Y.); (K.Y.); (E.M.); (N.I.); (M.T.)
| | - Shin Yoshimoto
- Innovative Research Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Zama 252-8583, Kanagawa, Japan; (K.T.); (S.Y.); (K.Y.); (E.M.); (N.I.); (M.T.)
| | - Keisuke Yoshida
- Innovative Research Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Zama 252-8583, Kanagawa, Japan; (K.T.); (S.Y.); (K.Y.); (E.M.); (N.I.); (M.T.)
| | - Eri Mitsuyama
- Innovative Research Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Zama 252-8583, Kanagawa, Japan; (K.T.); (S.Y.); (K.Y.); (E.M.); (N.I.); (M.T.)
| | - Noriyuki Iwabuchi
- Innovative Research Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Zama 252-8583, Kanagawa, Japan; (K.T.); (S.Y.); (K.Y.); (E.M.); (N.I.); (M.T.)
| | - Koji Hosomi
- Laboratory of Vaccine Materials and Laboratory of Gut Environmental System, Microbial Research Center for Health and Medicine, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Ibaraki 567-0085, Osaka, Japan; (K.H.); (T.J.S.); (J.K.)
| | - Takayuki Jujo Sanada
- Laboratory of Vaccine Materials and Laboratory of Gut Environmental System, Microbial Research Center for Health and Medicine, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Ibaraki 567-0085, Osaka, Japan; (K.H.); (T.J.S.); (J.K.)
- Department of Respirology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8670, Chiba, Japan
| | - Miyuki Tanaka
- Innovative Research Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Zama 252-8583, Kanagawa, Japan; (K.T.); (S.Y.); (K.Y.); (E.M.); (N.I.); (M.T.)
| | - Hinako Nanri
- Department of Physical Activity Research, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Settsu 566-0002, Osaka, Japan;
- Laboratory of Gut Microbiome for Health, Microbial Research Center for Health and Medicine, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Ibaraki 567-0085, Osaka, Japan
| | - Jun Kunisawa
- Laboratory of Vaccine Materials and Laboratory of Gut Environmental System, Microbial Research Center for Health and Medicine, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Ibaraki 567-0085, Osaka, Japan; (K.H.); (T.J.S.); (J.K.)
- Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan
- Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan
- Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka 560-0043, Osaka, Japan
- International Vaccine Design Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku 108-8639, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe 650-0017, Hyogo, Japan
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Shinjuku-ku 169-0072, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshitaka Odamaki
- Innovative Research Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Zama 252-8583, Kanagawa, Japan; (K.T.); (S.Y.); (K.Y.); (E.M.); (N.I.); (M.T.)
| | - Motohiko Miyachi
- Department of Physical Activity Research, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Settsu 566-0002, Osaka, Japan;
- Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa 359-1192, Saitama, Japan
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Nolte S, Krüger K, Lenz C, Zentgraf K. Optimizing the Gut Microbiota for Individualized Performance Development in Elite Athletes. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1491. [PMID: 38132317 PMCID: PMC10740793 DOI: 10.3390/biology12121491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The human gut microbiota can be compared to a fingerprint due to its uniqueness, hosting trillions of living organisms. Taking a sport-centric perspective, the gut microbiota might represent a physiological system that relates to health aspects as well as individualized performance in athletes. The athletes' physiology has adapted to their exceptional lifestyle over the years, including the diversity and taxonomy of the microbiota. The gut microbiota is influenced by several physiological parameters and requires a highly individual and complex approach to unravel the linkage between performance and the microbial community. This approach has been taken in this review, highlighting the functions that the microbial community performs in sports, naming gut-centered targets, and aiming for both a healthy and sustainable athlete and performance development. With this article, we try to consider whether initiating a microbiota analysis is practicable and could add value in elite sport, and what possibilities it holds when influenced through a variety of interventions. The aim is to support enabling a well-rounded and sustainable athlete and establish a new methodology in elite sport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenja Nolte
- Department of Exercise Physiology and Sports Therapy, Institute of Sports Science, University of Giessen, 35394 Giessen, Germany; (K.K.); (C.L.)
| | - Karsten Krüger
- Department of Exercise Physiology and Sports Therapy, Institute of Sports Science, University of Giessen, 35394 Giessen, Germany; (K.K.); (C.L.)
| | - Claudia Lenz
- Department of Exercise Physiology and Sports Therapy, Institute of Sports Science, University of Giessen, 35394 Giessen, Germany; (K.K.); (C.L.)
| | - Karen Zentgraf
- Department 5: Psychology & Sports Sciences, Institute for Sports Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60323 Frankfurt am Main, Germany;
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