About This Project

This will be the first study to provide data regarding GI permeability, inflammation, and endotoxin translocation following resistance exercise and to compare resistance exercise induced GI disturbances between men and women. We will seek to utilize fecal shotgun meta-genomics and metabolite analysis to determine if the gut microbiome or short chained fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations are associated to resistance exercise induced GI distress and whether gender specific differences are present.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

We know a fair bit about the relationship between endurance exercise, exercise-induced gastrointestinal syndrome (EIGS), and the gut microbiome. While regular physical activity seems to have a positive correlation with microbial diversity and certain beneficial taxa, the amount and intensity of exercise is a bit of a Goldilocks phenomenon; we can have too little *and* too much.

Endurance athletes often experience severe GI distress after training, likely due to a combination of mechanical stress (jostling) and changes in pH, oxygen availability, and oxidative stress (from reduced blood flow to the intestines). We have also observed acute changes in both taxonomy (who's there) and especially function of the gut microbiome after intense endurance exercise.

What is the significance of this project?

However, we know almost nothing about the effects of resistance training on the gut microbiome! We don't know its acute effects on the gut microbiome,
intestinal permeability, SCFA production or EIGS, nor do we have data on
gender-specific differences.

We're using some cool new technology, like shallow shotgun metagenomic sequencing to see who's there AND what they're doing! This method gives us a more comprehensive assessment of the fecal microbiome compared to conventional 16sRNA analysis at a much lower cost than whole genome metagenomic sequencing.

What are the goals of the project?

Aim 1: To examine the role of resistance on the manifestation of GI injury and symptoms following acute resistance exercise in trained males and female.

• Examine circulating concentrations of I-FABP, endotoxin, TNF-α, and lactulose/rhamnose ratio, at rest, IP, 15 min, 30 min, and 60 min post-resistance exercise.

Aim 2: To investigate the role biological sex plays in the GI response to acute resistance exercise in trained participants.

Aim 3: Utilize shotgun metagenomics to provide a functional microbiome analysis of trained males and females, and measure SCFA to determine if microbiome or SCFAs are related to experienced GI distress or if sex-differences exist between males and females.