A joint research group from Juntendo University and Morinaga Milk Industry has revealed that ingesting Bifidobacterium longum BB536 may lead to improvements in diarrhea-related quality of life scores and a reduction in body odor-related metabolites in male athletes.
Male athletes who consume high-protein diets are concerned about disruptions in the gut microbiome, digestive symptoms, and an increase in metabolites that cause body odor. In this study, to verify the effect of probiotics on improving the gut microbiome in such athletes, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group comparative trial was conducted using the human commensal Bifidobacterium BB536.
As a result, the group of athletes who took BB536 showed a significant improvement in diarrhea-related quality of life scores (the sum of the three items related to diarrhea symptoms on the "Izumo Scale," which evaluates gastrointestinal symptoms) after four weeks.
Furthermore, in subjects whose diarrhea-related QOL scores improved (responders), the proportion of butyrate-producing bacteria Faecalibacterium in the gut microbiota was significantly higher than in non-responders. This suggests that changes in the gut microbiota may be involved in the improvement of diarrhea-related QOL scores by BB536.
Furthermore, when subjects were classified into Ruminococcus-dominant (R-type) and Faecalibacterium-dominant (F-type) based on their enterotype, it became clear that the effects of BB536 intake on body odor-related metabolites differed. Comparing pre- and post-BB536 intake levels, propionic acid and butyric acid increased in the R-type, while ammonia and methyl mercaptan decreased in the F-type. These results suggest that the effect of BB536 on body odor-related metabolites is enterotype-dependent, and that it may particularly reduce body odor-related metabolites in the F-type.
This study demonstrated the potential of personalized nutritional approaches based on differences in gut microbiome within the unique dietary environment of athletes. Further development of probiotic research aimed at maintaining the health and improving the quality of life of athletes is expected in the future.
