{"id":19360,"date":"2025-06-12T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-12T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scienceinsport.com\/sports-nutrition\/?p=19360"},"modified":"2025-06-12T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T00:00:00","slug":"gut-health-why-is-it-important","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scienceinsport.com\/sports-nutrition\/gut-health-why-is-it-important\/","title":{"rendered":"Gut Health: Why is it important?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Biotic<\/span>
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Gut Health: why is it important?<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\n Written By<\/span>\n

The Performance Solutions Team<\/h3>\n

<\/h6>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>
5 minutes<\/div>
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WHAT IS A HEALTHY GUT?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The gut is home to an abundant and diverse microbial community that gathers over 100 trillion microorganisms, including bacteria, yeast and viruses. This community of microorganisms is referred to as the gut microbiome<\/strong>. A healthy gut refers to a well-functioning digestive system that supports the breakdown of food, optimal absorption of nutrients and the maintenance of a diverse microbiome. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

HOW DOES THE GUT MICROBIOME INFLUENCE OUR HEALTH?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The gut microbiome plays a key role in supporting our health, predominantly by supporting the development of a robust immune system, prevention of infections, modulating inflammation levels and ensuring optimal nutrient absorption 1<\/sup>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing scientific research also indicates a potential role played by the microbiome in contributing to the functionality of our brain and nervous system, as well as in influencing our mood 1<\/sup>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is also worth noting that a \u2018disrupted\u2019 microbiome is associated with numerous diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, diabetes and asthma 2<\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHY DO ATHLETES NEED GOOD GUT HEALTH?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless if you are a professional athlete or an individual that regularly engages in training and wants to maximise performance, maintaining a healthy gut should represent a key priority. Heavy training and periods with congested athletic competitions increase the stress placed on our immune system and make us more susceptible to infections.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Improving gut health through probiotics supplementation was shown to support athletes’ immunity by reducing the risk and severity of infections 3<\/sup>. Optimal absorption of carbohydrates during exercise is also key particularly for endurance athletes, and the gut microbiome was also shown to play an important role here 4<\/sup>. The gut microbiome can also influence protein absorption and therefore may impact muscle mass and body composition 5<\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHAT ARE GUT FRIENDLY CULTURES?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To date over 1000 species of gut bacteria have been identified. Out of these, some key species that were found to play important roles in key physiological processes include; <\/p>\n\n\n\n