Effect of Probiotic Supplementation on Gut Microbiota and Sport Performance in Athletes and Physically Active Individuals: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The present systematic review aimed to evaluate the effect of probiotic supplementation on gut microbiota and sport performance in athletes and physically active individuals. This review followed the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (P RISMA). The search had no time limits and included the following databases: MEDLINE, LILACS, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, and SP ORT Discus. The risk of bias was assessed through the updated version of the Cochrane tool for assessing the risk of bias in randomized trials (RoB 2). Nine randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were included, accounting for 216 participants. Of these, seven studies found positive results on sport performance. Additionally, some studies showed significant decrease in biochemical parameters linked to inflammation. It was also observed direct results in the microbiota composition of the participants, such as an increase in the abundance of probiotics and a decrease in certain pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, the use of probiotics showed improvement in inflammatory biomarkers and oxidative stress, which indirectly may contribute to the improvement of sport performance. However, the majority of the studies presented a high risk of bias, which impair the reproducibility of the results. While the field of probiotic supplementation and sport performance is emerging, the promising results from this systematic review suggest that further investigation through larger and more robust randomized clinical trials can provide valuable insights for athletes and their performance.

Keywords:

• Gut microbiota
• supplementation
• probiotics
• inflammatory biomarkers
• oxidative stress
• sports performance

Authors’ contributions

OP, MGX, LM S, IL, ASS, RCP, GPM, PPS, PSO, FMD and SP: Conceptualization; OP and MGX: Data curation; PSO, FMD and SP: Formal analysis, funding acquisition; OP, MGX, LM S, IL, ASS, RCP, GPM, PP S, PSO, FMD and SP: Investigation; GPM and MGX: Methodology; PSO, FMD and SP: Project administration; OP, MGX and FMD: Software; PSO, FMD and SP: Supervision; PSO, FMD and SP: Validation, visualization; OP, MGX, LM S, IL, ASS, RCP, GPM and PPS,: Roles/Writing – original draft; PSO, FMD and SP: Writing – review & editing.

Disclosure statement

All authors declare no conflict of interest in this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This work has been supported by the following Brazilian research agencies: CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel), CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development), and FAPERGS (Foundation for the Support of Research in the State of Rio Grande do Su).

Notes on contributors

Olavo da Silva Carvalho Porepp

Olavo da Silva Carvalho Porepp is a registered dietitian and is currently pursuing a MSc degree in the Graduate Program in Medical Sciences: Endocrinology at Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Member of the Diabetes and Metabolism Research Group of the Department of Endocrinology at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre.

Mariana Gonçalves Xavier

Mariana Gonçalves Xavier is a registered dietitian and is currently pursuing a MSc degree in the Graduate Program in Nutrition at Federal University of Santa Catarina.

Larissa Menezes da Silveira

Larissa Menezes da Silveira is a registered dietitian and is currently pursuing a MSc degree in the Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Bioprospecting from the Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Bioprospecting at Federal University of Pelotas.

Isadora Lindenau

Isadora Bartz Lindenau is a registered dietitian and is currently pursuing a MSc degree in the Graduate Program in Nutrition and Food in the Graduate Program in Nutrition and Food at Federal University of Pelotas.

Andrine Schmechel Schellin

Andrine Schmechel Schellin is a registered dietitian graduated from the Federal University of Pelotas.

Raphaela Cassol Piccoli

Raphaela Cassol Piccoli is a registered dietitian and is currently pursuing a MSc degree in the Graduate Program in Nutrition and Food from the Graduate Program in Nutrition and Food at Federal University of Pelotas.

Gabriel Peres Messenburger

Gabriel Peres Messenburger Student of the Faculty of Nutrition at the Federal University of Pelotas. Director of Activities of the Sports Nutrition Interest Group. Member of the Artificial Intelligence and Predictive Analysis in Health research group.

Paula Pastorino da Silva

Paula Pastorino da Silva is a registered dietitian graduated from the Federal University of Pelotas.

Pathise Souto Oliveira

Pathise Souto Oliveira Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Bioprospecting from the Federal University of Pelotas. She has experience in investigating biochemical changes, mainly metabolic, neurochemical, behavioral and oxidative stress parameters in experimental models of obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Felipe Mendes Delpino

Felipe Mendes Delpino Ph.D. in Sciences from the Federal University of Pelotas. Specialized in Clinical and Sports Nutrition and Public Health Nutrition. Member of research and teaching groups such as the Brazilian Group for Studies on Multimorbidity and the Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health. He is currently a postdoctoral student in Machine Learning for predicting deaths in the elderly at Federal University of Pelotas.

Simone Pieniz

Simone Pieniz Ph.D. in Microbiology from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. She is currently an associate professor at the Faculty of Nutrition, Federal University of Pelotas, and coordinator of the Sport Nutrition Interest Group. She works as a professor in the Graduate Program in Nutrition and Food, and in the Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences at Federal University of Pelotas.