What Effects Does Exercise Have On The Microbiome Of The Gut?

Our intestines are home to billions of micro-organisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes, which comprise our Gut Microbiota. Scientists are now beginning to understand how various digestive systems influence our well-being truly. For example, studies have shown that having a diverse and healthy gut microbiome positively affects digestion, immunological regulation, disease prevention, and mental health. Continue reading to learn more in detail.

Myth or Fact: Exercise to Better Digestive Health

When we work out, we raise our core temperature, reroute blood flow, and allow more oxygen to reach our brain and circulation. This is thought by researchers to be a favorable environment for the expansion of bacteria in human microbiomes, although the mechanisms underlying this assumption remain questionable.

During exercise, we make substances that our bodies can use, and at the same time, we experience profound changes that promote the expansion and modification of gut flora.

Therefore, It’s a Fact that regular exercise can aid in maintaining a healthy stomach, and other research suggests that a healthy gut microbiota is also linked to improved performance.

Also Read: The Gut - Your Body's Second Brain

Multiple Studies Link Exercise to Better Digestive Health

Scientific studies have shown that regular exercise helps maintain a healthy digestive tract.

 In a word, most microorganisms in our gut have a symbiotic relationship with our bodies. This means that they help our bodies work, and our bodies help these microbes stay healthy and grow. In addition, they produce essential nutrients, such as vitamins and fatty acids, that aid in immune system health, digestion, and mental condition regulation.

Exercising regularly has been shown to accelerate the process by expanding the number and type of microorganisms in the stomach.

Also Read: Collagen for Gut Health: The Hidden Benefits

Exercise Promotes Gut Flora Diversity

In a 2018 study published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, the researcher selected 32 non-exercisers before the start of the experiment. Half of the research participants were obese, while the other half had a normal BMI. 

Participants Activity: For the first three weeks, both groups did 30 minutes of brisk walking thrice a week. After six weeks, they did one hour of spin class three times a week under supervision. The researchers made no modifications to the participants' diets or eating habits. Each group was advised to take a six-week break from physical activity.

The Observation Of This Study: At the start of the trial, after six weeks of exercise, and again after six weeks of not working out, blood and poop samples and measurements of aerobic fitness were taken. 

The Result Outcome Of This Study: Short-chain fatty acids and the gut microbiota that produce them were increased in all individuals after six weeks of exercise, making it easier to control inflammation and blood sugar levels. When they stopped exercising for six weeks, their stomachs switched to how they looked at the study's outset.

Hence, the microbiome is dynamic and ever-responsive, responding to what you eat and how you live. This study highlighted how exercise affects the environment, as assessed by the increase or decrease in the production of favorable short-chain fatty acids.

Also Read: How Important Is Collagen Powder For Gut Health

Gut Flora Improves With Exercise 

Exercise impacts the composition of gut flora, according to a 2017 PLOS study involving 40 women aged 18 to 40. According to research, the majority of the sample (50%) exercised at least three times weekly, whereas the minority (50%) exercised less than once and a half times each week. Genomic analysis of human waste revealed striking variations in the concentrations of 11 different types of bacteria across stool and feces samples. Physically active women had more health-enhancing bacteria.

According to another study, microorganisms like Villanella help us recover from exercise by converting our bodies' lactate into short-chain fatty acid propionate. The study's authors, who are specialists in the field and affiliated with Harvard Medical School, hypothesize that exercise promotes the growth of Veillonella microbes in the stomach, giving the extra energy boost needed for endurance running.

Also Read: Understanding Your Gut Flora And Why It's Important

Five Tips For Gut-Friendly Exercise

Are there some kinds of exercise that are good for the gut? Here's what the experts have to say:

• Do Not Overlook Nutrition

Your regular diet has as much of an influence on your digestive system as your exercise routine. When thinking about what to eat, be aware that gut microbiota prefers fermented foods because of their high concentration of bacteria and yeast.

Probiotics rich foods are yogurt, kefir, kombucha, miso, sauerkraut, kimchi. In addition to improving your immune system, eating a wide variety of vegetables is good for your gut bacteria. So it would be best if you loaded up on fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. According to a study, you should eat 30 different plant foods every week to improve your gut's health and increase your microbiome's diversity.

• Concentrate On Cardio

In contrast to strength training like weightlifting, aerobic exercise has been the major focus of the research that links exercise to better gut microbiota health. Although research on the effects of weightlifting on gut health is lacking, this in no way disproves such claims.

Aerobic or cardiovascular activity (such as jogging or cycling) for 30–60 minutes each session, three times per week, at 60–75% of maximum heart rate, was recommended for participants in the study above. At 60 percent, you can speak comfortably and breathe normally. At 75 percent, you may sweat and breathe faster. Exercises that are even more cardiovascular include rowing, swimming, and skipping.

• Take Baby Steps

Take your time with an intense workout if this is your first time doing so. Stay away from watching movies all day to running a marathon. Avoiding harm and settling into a consistent habit are your priorities. The goal is to keep your microbiome well-fed by keeping it active.

• Spend Time In Nature

 

Being outside improves our contact with the many different ecosystems and the bacteria that live inside them. We breathe in a wide variety of microorganisms while we exercise outdoors in places like parks and beaches.

A study found that compared to toddlers in urban daycare centers, those whose primary source of stimulation was the forest floor, dirt, plants, and flowers had a more diverse and healthy gut microbiome and a less inflammatory immune system. For better immunity, consume YourHappy Immunity (Fizz) daily to "Supercharge" your Immune System.

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Key Benefits

Exercising regularly and making it part of your routine is essential to keep your gut healthy and full of good bacteria.

Consistency is key when it comes to exercise since you can easily undo all your hard work by giving up halfway through. Please note that study participants' gut microbiomes changed within six weeks of activity but returned to normal after six weeks of stopping exercise.

If you stop running for a few weeks, your stamina will decrease, and one expert claims the same happens to your gut microbiota when you stop exercising.

Also Read: Here Are 7 Ways Your Digestive Health Affects Your Athletic Ability

The Takeaway

Exercising regularly has been shown to boost the number of beneficial microbes, increase the variety of gut flora, and promote the growth of gut flora. Each of these outcomes is good for the host and contributes to improving the individual's health.

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FAQ

Does exercise have any effect on the microbes in your intestines?

Athletes in average health benefit from moderate exercise, which decreases inflammation and intestinal permeability and improves overall health. Additionally, it improves the gut flora and gastrointestinal microbial byproducts.

Does A Healthy Gut Improve Exercise Performance?

Scientific research published in Nature Medicine in 2019 found that marathon runners have higher levels of the bacteria Veillonella in their feces compared to the general population. Furthermore, this microbe was found in much higher concentrations following exercise, especially during a marathon.

What is the most efficient way to mend your gut?

Probiotics are a game-changer. The beneficial microbes (probiotics) naturally found in one's digestive tract are defined as living creatures. Get Probiotics and ten additional components in YourHappy Collagen (Advanced) to restore young, glowing skin, minimize wrinkles & fine lines, restore elasticity & firmness, enhance skin texture & density, eliminate acne & dryness, and restore healthy & radiant hair.