Guts And Glory

What if a healthy tum could make you run faster, jump higher and exercise harder? It might be time to hone your microbiome

Any regular gym-goer knows that what they eat has a direct impact on how they perform in the sports arena, but, recently, scientists have uncovered a new meaning to ‘eating for performance’.

The food that fit people feed the microbes living in their digestive system could hold the key to greater athleticism. And it’s not only what they eat, but also how excessively they train, whether they relax regularly, and how well they sleep. A sports-honed gut is being touted as the ‘athletic microbiome’ and a greater understanding of it could supercharge your performance.

Beneficial bacteria

Chances are you’ve already heard of the microbiome, but what exactly is it? Experts refer to it as the ‘internal ecosystem of micro-organisms (called microbiota) that make up the human body’. The gut has many microbiota, including bacteria, fungi and viruses, and this microbiota can perform an array of functions that keep us healthy. In the past decade, the field of microbiome research has proliferated, but we are only just understanding how it could impact on sports performance. ‘A healthy gut microbiome could help to reduce inflammation, increase your energy levels, improve mental strength, shape your body composition, strengthen your bones, increase nutrient absorption and use, and even up hydration levels,’ says Claire Barnes, nutritional therapist for Bio-Kult (bio-kult.com). What’s more, your diet and lifestyle could help foster a fitter tum.

Sporty systems