Microbiome features associated with performance measures in athletic and non-athletic individuals: A case-control study

The influence of human gut microbiota on health and disease is now commonly appreciated. Therefore, it is not surprising that microbiome research has found interest in the sports community, hoping to improve health and optimize performance. Comparative studies found new species or pathways that were more enriched in elites than sedentary controls. In addition, sport-specific and performance-level-specific microbiome features have been identified. However, the results remain inconclusive and indicate the need for further assessment. In this case-control study, we tested two athletic populations (i.e. strength athletes, endurance athletes) and a non-athletic, but physically active, control group across two acute exercise bouts, separated by a 2-week period, that measured explosive and high intensity fitness level (repeated 30-s all-out Wingate test (WT)) and cardiorespiratory fitness level (Bruce Treadmill Test). While we did not identify any group differences in alpha and beta diversity or significant differential abundance of microbiome components at baseline, one-third of the species identified were unique to each group. Longitudinal sample (pre- and post-exercise) analysis revealed an abundance of Alistipes communis in the strength group during the WT and 88 species with notable between-group differences during the Bruce Test. SparCC recognized Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium adolescentis, short-chain fatty acid producers with probiotic properties, species strongly associated with VO2max. Ultimately, we identified several taxa with different baseline abundances and longitudinal changes when comparing individuals based on their VO2max, average power, and maximal power parameters. Our results confirmed that the health status of individuals are consistent with assumptions about microbiome health. Furthermore, our findings indicate that microbiome features are associated with better performance previously identified in elite athletes.