Study Finds Exercise Shapes Our Gut Health

In a recent study published in the journal E-biomedicinea team of scientists investigated the association between physical activity levels and gut microbiota using accelerometer-based assessments of sedentary, moderate, and vigorous physical activity levels.

Study: Accelerometer-based physical activity is associated with gut microbiota in 8,416 people in SCAPIS. Image credit: Zhanna Mendel / Shutterstock

background

There is growing evidence that optimal levels of physical activity reduce the risk of mental health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and depression. Additionally, sedentary habits that involve activities that involve sitting or lying down for long periods of time are known to increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, and these risks are associated with high-intensity It can be lowered by exercise. Recent studies have also shown that the positive effects of exercise on health may be mediated by changes in the gut microbiome.

Substantial research has also shown that the gut microbiome plays an important role in the development of various diseases and mental health problems. Apart from interactions with the host within the gastrointestinal tract, the gut microbiota plays a role in neurotransmission that influences the immune system, central nervous system, and brain homeostasis through various neural pathways and the microbiota-gut-brain axis. It is believed that substances are also produced. Physical activity and associated changes in circulation, enterohepatic movement of bile acids, intestinal permeability, and intestinal immunity can influence the gut microbiota.

About research

In this study, researchers used data from the Swedish Cardiopulmonary Bioimaging Study to determine whether sedentary, moderate, and vigorous levels of physical activity were associated with changes in the gut microbiome. Although a significant number of studies have examined this association, most have used self-reported physical activity levels, which can be biased. Furthermore, the authors believe that these studies had limited taxonomic resolution of gut microbes.

This study used data from a waist-worn accelerometer to obtain a more reliable and accurate measure of physical activity levels. Furthermore, it was believed that the use of deep shotgun metagenomics would provide high-resolution taxonomic information on the gut microbial community.

Study participants had to complete a detailed questionnaire about their health, medical history, diet, and lifestyle. They underwent a series of physical and laboratory tests, including pulmonary, coronary, and abdominal computed tomography (CT). Participants also provided fecal samples used for gut microbiome analysis. The accelerometer was worn by every participant on her waist at all times during the week, except during underwater activities and sleep.

Data from the accelerometers were converted to counts per minute and used to define sedentary, low, moderate, and vigorous physical activity levels according to cutoffs validated in previous studies. did. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extraction was performed on all fecal samples, and the extracted DNA was used for metagenomic species identification.

We determined alpha diversity by calculating various indices of species diversity such as the inverse Simpson index, Shannon diversity index, and species richness. Additionally, the dissimilarity of microbial composition between samples was determined by calculating beta diversity.

result

As a result, the association between sedentary habits and very low levels of physical activity and the abundance of various gut microbial species is similar to that between moderate or vigorous physical activity levels and the abundance of different gut microbiome species. It was shown that the relationship was the opposite.

Rich Escherichia coli Sedentary physical activity levels were found to be high in relation to physical activity levels, while moderate physical activity levels were found to be associated with decreased physical activity levels. E. coli. There are abundant butyrate-producing bacteria such as those belonging to . rosebria genus, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii It was higher in individuals with moderate and vigorous physical activity levels.

Additionally, differences were observed in the following species richness: Prevotella copri, between individuals with moderate physical activity levels and people in groups with vigorous physical activity levels.Rich Copley High in association with moderate exercise, but no association was shown with vigorous exercise Copley Abundant.

The functional potential of the gut microbiome was also found to differ in relation to different levels of physical activity. Moderate physical activity was found to be associated with increased synthesis of acetate and butyrate. Intense exercise was associated with increased propionate synthesis, and sedentary activity levels were found to be associated with a decreased ability of the gut microbiota to break down carbohydrates.

conclusion

Overall, the findings suggested that physical activity levels were strongly associated with the abundance of specific gut microbes. Furthermore, the diversity and abundance of the gut microbiota, and subsequently its functional potential, changed in response to different levels of physical activity. Sedentary habits and higher levels of physical activity showed an inverse association with gut microbiota richness and diversity.