Can Middle And Long-distance Running Lead To Healthier Gut Microbiota In Us?

Nowadays, people are paying more and more attention to exercise, and the influence of gut microbiota on the human body has been continuously confirmed. PURPOSE: In order to investigate whether middle and long-distance running may have a favorable effect on the gut microbiota of the human body, thus reducing the occurrence of diseases. To study the structural characteristics of the gut microbiota as well as the metabolite content of male middle and long-distance runners and try to analyze how such changes may affect their physical functions. METHODS: Twenty-two male athletes were recruited to the running team of Shandong Province Training Center, which we divided into middle-distance group (10) and long-distance group (12) according to the training specialties. Twelve ordinary male college students were recruited as the control group. Venous blood samples were collected, fecal samples and exercise data were collected. All subjects gave informed consent and were approved by a professional ethics committee. RESULTS: 1:The abundance of Bifidobacterium longum ,Bacteroides plebeius, Parabacteroides merdae was significantly higher in the middle and long distance groups compared to the control group (p < 0.05,p < 0.01). Fusobacteriaceae, Enterobacteriaceae abundances were significantly lower in both the medium-and long-range groups than in the control group(p < 0.05); Clostridiaceae, Bifidobacteriaceae and Veillonellaceae were significantly higher in abundance than the control(p < 0.05). 2: Theαdiversity of intestinal flora: the chao1 index and Shannon index were significantly higher (p < 0.05) and the Simpson index was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the middle-distance group and the long-distance group than in the control group. 3:Acetic acid, butyric acid, and propionic acid were significantly higher in the fecal samples of subjects in the middle and long distance groups than in the control group (p < 0.05). 4:Improvement in gut flora positively correlates with host athletic performance(p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Middle and long-distance running is not only a sport, but also a way to effectively regulate human intestinal flora and promote the formation of healthy intestinal microecology. Through exercise, we can obtain a healthier intestinal environment, thus reducing the production of diseases.