The effects of probiotic supplementation on endurance athletes: Influences on gut dysfunction, microbiome, and gut discomfort

Author

Sarah Lennon

Date

2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Nutrition

Committee Chair

Marie van der Merwe

Committee Member

Brandt Pence

Committee Member

Mark Corkins

Abstract

This study was a randomized placebo-controlled, double-blinded crossover study elucidating the effects of the probiotic on endurance athletes who experienced GI discomfort and dysfunction. Athletes were recruited to participate if they met multiple criteria involving their running habits. Multiple metrics were utilized to analyze the degree to which the probiotic altered the microbiome and reduced GI Discomfort and Dysfunction within endurance athletes. Markers of intestinal permeability collected were Zonulin, IFABP, and LBP. GI Discomfort was measured via participant self-reporting of symptoms as well as through the Borg Scale. Microbiome changes were measured looking at alpha and beta diversity changes and analysis of the genera distributions. The probiotic had no significant changes associated with any metric. Therefore, it is concluded within this study that there is no therapeutic benefit to the probiotic for endurance athletes to alleviate GI-related issues or alter the gut microbiome.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest.

Notes

Open access

Recommended Citation

Lennon, Sarah, "The effects of probiotic supplementation on endurance athletes: Influences on gut dysfunction, microbiome, and gut discomfort" (2022). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3400.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/etd/3400