Table 4 Microbiota status among athletes during sports preparation or interventions
From: Physical activity induced alterations of gut microbiota in humans: a systematic review
OCEBM/ Study design | Age (yrs.) | Study group | Physical characteristics | Method of fecal microbiota analysis | Diversity indexes, F/B ratio | Results after the intervention | Reference | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Phylum | Family | Genus | Species | |||||||
Level 2/Cross – sectional | 20.7 ± 3.2 | Competitive middle-distance runners F (n = 6) M (n = 8), N = 14 | 3 weeks of normal training 3 weeks of high-volume training 1-week taper | sequencing analysis 16S rRNA (V3, V4 region) |  → Alpha-diversity (Shannon Index, Chao1) |  | ↓Pasteurellaceae | ↓Haemophilus | ↑Ruminococcus callidus ↓Haemophilus parainfluenzae ↓Streptococcus parasanguinis | [45] |
Level 4/Case study | 32 | World-class ultramarathon runner, N = 1 | All stages of sports preparation | sequencing analysis 16S rRNA (V4 region) | ↑Alpha diversity (Shannon) ↑F/B |  |  | ↑Haemophilus ↑Streptococcus ↑Veilonella ↓Alloprevotella ↓Subdolingranulum |  | [46] |
Level 2/Observational study | 18—24 | Swimmers (F, M), N = 13 | Subjects recorded their total daily swimming yardage and the duration of daily practice | 16S rRNA (V4 region) | Increase of training volume: ↑Alpha diversity (Shannon, Simpson) » Beta diversity (Bray–Curtis) ↑F/B |  | Increase of training volume: ↑Bacteroidaceae ↑Lachnospiraceae ↑Ruminococcaceae | Decrease of training volume: ↓Coprococcus ↓Faecalibacterium |  | [47] |
Level 4/Case study | 26 ± 3 | Rowers (M), N = 3 | 33 days, distance 5000 km | Shotgun sequencing | ↑Alpha diversity (Shannon) |  |  |  | ↑Dorea longicatena ↑Prevotella copri ↑Roseburia hominis ↑Subdoligranulum unclassified ↓Bacteroides finegoldii | [48] |
Level 1, Randomized control trial |  > 18 | Soldiers (F, M), N = 73 | 4 days country-ski march, military training | sequencing analysis 16S rRNA (V3, V4 region) | ↑Alpha diversity (Shannon)  → Alpha-diversity (Chao1, OTU) ↑F/B |  |  | ↑Acidaminococcus ↑Fusobacterium ↑Peptoniphilus ↑Peptostreptococcus ↑Staphylococcus ↓Bacteroides ↓Collinsella ↓Faecalibacterium ↓Roseburia |  | [49] |
Level 2/Single arm trial | 18–50 | Cross-country athletes (M), N = 40 | Subjected to physical exertion until refusal, analysis before and after exertion | sequencing analysis 16S rRNA (V3, V4 region) |  → Alpha diversity (Shannon, OTU)  ≠ Beta diversity (Bray–Curtis, Jaccard, Unifrac) |  |  | ↑Blautia ↑Rombutsia ↑Ruminococcocaceae USG-005 | ↑Escherichia coli TOP48 ↓Clostridium phoceensis ↓Ruminiclostridium 9 | [50] |
Level 2/Observational study | 23–54 | Half-marathon runners (F, M), N = 20 | Average period of training before the start time: 18 months; average time to finish: 115 min | sequencing analysis 16S rRNA (V3, V4 region) | After the run:  → Alpha diversity ↑ OTUs | ↑Lentisphaerae ↑Acidobacteria | ↑Coprococcus_2 ↑Collinsella ↑Mitsuokella ↑Pseudobutyrivibrio ↑Romboutsia |  |  | [51] |