The intensive physical activity causes changes in the composition of gut and oral microbiotaOriginal paper
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease, four years before the first published case study.
Read MoreWhat was studied?
This study compared the gut and oral microbiota of professional football players with amateurs. It also tracked professionals across high-activity and low-activity training periods. Researchers analyzed fecal samples and oral swabs using next-generation 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the V3-V4 regions. Diversity, phylum abundance, and biomarker taxa were assessed with QIIME and LEfSe analyses.
Who was studied?
The prospective cohort study enrolled 20 professional male football players from a Polish club and 12 amateurs. All participants were adult men of Polish ethnicity, matched for age, BMI, and health status. Professionals trained daily for four hours; amateurs trained twice weekly. Samples were collected during peak season and again after a four-week intra-season break.
What were the most important findings?
The gut microbiome differed most between groups. Professionals had significantly higher gut diversity and more Firmicutes (76% versus 65%), while amateurs had more Bacteroidetes (25% versus 16%). Oral microbiota diversity was similar between groups, but fell during high-intensity training periods. Beta diversity of oral communities differed significantly across training intensity. Intensive activity increased butyrate- and succinate-producing bacteria, including species from Clostridiales, Parabacteroides, and Phascolarctobacterium, in the gut.
What are the greatest implications of this study?
The findings suggest intensive physical activity beneficially shapes the gut microbiome toward butyrate and succinate producers linked to host metabolism. Oral and gut sites responded differently to exercise. The small, all-male sample and uncontrolled diet limit conclusions and prevent proven causation. The work offers a starting point for larger studies on exercise, microbiota, and athletic recovery.