An Exploratory Study on Seasonal Variation in the Gut Microbiota of Athletes: Insights from Japanese Handball Players

oleh: Kazuya Toda, Shin Yoshimoto, Keisuke Yoshida, Eri Mitsuyama, Noriyuki Iwabuchi, Koji Hosomi, Takayuki Jujo Sanada, Miyuki Tanaka, Hinako Nanri, Jun Kunisawa, Toshitaka Odamaki, Motohiko Miyachi

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2024-04-01

Deskripsi

Despite accumulating evidence that suggests a unique gut microbiota composition in athletes, a comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon is lacking. Furthermore, seasonal variation in the gut microbiota of athletes, particularly during the off-season, remains underexplored. This study aimed to compare the gut microbiotas between athletic subjects (AS) and non-athletic subjects (NS), and to investigate variations between athletic and off-season periods. The data were derived from an observational study involving Japanese male handball players. The results revealed a distinct gut microbiota composition in AS compared with NS, characterized by significantly higher alpha-diversity and a greater relative abundance of <i>Faecalibacterium</i> and <i>Streptococcus</i>. Moreover, a comparative analysis between athletic and off-season periods in AS demonstrated a significant change in alpha-diversity. Notably, AS exhibited significantly higher alpha-diversity than NS during the athletic season, but no significant difference was observed during the off-season. This study demonstrates the characteristics of the gut microbiota of Japanese handball players and highlights the potential for changes in alpha-diversity during the off-season. These findings contribute to our understanding of the dynamic nature of the gut microbiota of athletes throughout the season.