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Do some athletes perform better because they have certain bacteria? That was the question researchers at Harvard sought to answer when they went in search of these “sport bacteria.”
Sport Bacteria
Harvard researchers studied the microbiota, the gut bacteria, of successful runners and rowers. Their goal was to identify certain bacteria that might contribute to good performance. They presented the results during the 24th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) [1]. The bacteria they identified could potentially allow for the development of probiotics that would help athletes and fitness enthusiasts recover more quickly or assist in converting nutrients into energy.
When we first started thinking about this, I was asked whether we could use genomics to predict the next Michael Jordan. But my response was that a better question is: Can you extract Jordan’s biology and give it to others to help make the next Michael Jordan?
We are more bacteria than we are human. The bugs in our gut affect our energy metabolism, making it easier to break down carbohydrates, protein, and fiber. They are also involved in inflammation and neurological function. So perhaps the microbiome could be relevant for applications in endurance, recovery, and maybe even mental toughness.
Jonathan Scheiman, Harvard Medical School.
Now, I can think of more enjoyable studies to conduct, but all in the name of science, of course. So, the researchers set out to collect their samples, the stool of 20 athletes who were training for the Boston Marathon in 2015. The samples were collected one week before and one week after the marathon. For this, Scheiman spent two weeks driving around Boston to collect the stool samples and then put them on dry ice in the car. This way, they wanted to see the differences between the bacteria during exertion and during recovery.
They then used DNA sequencing to analyze the DNA of the bacteria. This way, they wanted to determine the types and amounts of bacteria in the samples. Afterward, the samples before and after the race were compared, and the researchers found a peak in the amount of a certain type of bacterium after the marathon. According to the researchers, the natural function of this bacterium is to break down lactic acid. During intense training, more lactic acid is produced than usual. This can lead to muscle soreness and fatigue. The bacterium they found could help alleviate these symptoms.
The Harvard team has isolated the specific bacterium and has now begun evaluating its properties. They have already determined that the bacterium is very good at breaking down lactic acid in a test tube. Furthermore, the bacterium remains intact after passing through the digestion of mice. Currently, the researchers are administering the bacterium to mice to then measure its effect on lactic acid and fatigue.
In another series of experiments, the researchers are comparing the bacteria of ultramarathon runners with the bacteria found in Olympic rowers. They found a type of bacterium in ultramarathon runners that helps break down carbohydrates and fiber, something that is crucial when you have to run 100 miles. This bacterium was not found in the rowers. This suggests that different types of bacteria may help with different sports.
Big Bacterium Business
The team plans to establish a company called
Fitbiomics later this year and hopes to bring a new probiotic to market within a year. Confirmation of their results by other researchers seems desirable to exclude conflicts of interest.
In an earlier interview this year, Scheiman mentioned that the market for probiotics was $58 billion in 2015, while for sports supplements, it was $115 billion [2]. However, the market for probiotics accounted for only 1% of sports supplements. This raises questions about the extent to which the research data is driven by commercial interests and whether there is bias in analyzing the results.
Furthermore, in that article from April this year, Scheiman also mentioned that there is no data showing that administering these bacteria improves athletic performance. So, I honestly don’t understand why they would start production now if the effect is still unknown.
Meanwhile, the Harvard team continues to collect data from as many different top athletes as possible to obtain more data and build a database of interesting bacteria for various athletic purposes.
References
- American Chemical Society.
- huffingtonpost.com/entry/would-you-drink-a-probiotic-with-the-gut-bacteria-of_us_58e094f4e4b0ca889ba1a6d2
