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Quality in Sport

The Role of the Gut Microbiome in Exercise Physiology and Athletic Performance: A Review of Evidence
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  • The Role of the Gut Microbiome in Exercise Physiology and Athletic Performance: A Review of Evidence
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  4. Medical Sciences

The Role of the Gut Microbiome in Exercise Physiology and Athletic Performance: A Review of Evidence

Authors

  • Paweł Pustuła 1Family Medicine Center, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 7, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4494-1080
  • Wiktoria Michnowska University Clinical Centre in Gdańsk, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Dębinki 7, 80-952 Gdańsk, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7161-0105
  • Patryk Hebda Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski University, ul. Gustawa Herlinga‑Grudzińskiego 1, 30‑705 Kraków, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0006-4660-3554
  • Mieszko Czapliński University Clinical Centre in Gdańsk, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Dębinki 7, 80-952  https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8052-4129
  • Natalia Bruska University Clinical Centre in Gdańsk, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Dębinki 7, 80-952  https://orcid.org/0009-0008-5749-874X
  • Bartłomiej Błaszkowski F. Ceynowa Specialist Hospital, ul. Powstańców Warszawy 11, 84‑200 Wejherowo, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0001-9898-2908
  • Andrii Bilyk Independent Public Healthcare Institution of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration (MSWiA), ul. Kartuska 4/6, 80-104 Gdańsk, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0001-5020-1113
  • Adam Wolski Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Dębinki 7, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1969-0640
  • Mateusz Kubicki Faculty of Medicine, Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, al. IX Wieków Kielc 19a, 25-516 Kielce, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5646-8109
  • Katarzyna Więckowska Individual Medical Practice Katarzyna Więckowska, ul. Deszczowa 18, 40‑318 Katowice, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4233-1927

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2026.50.68111

Keywords

gut microbiome, exercise, athletic performance, short‑chain fatty acids, endurance training, resistance training, probiotics, prebiotics, athletes, gut–brain axis

Abstract

Background

The human gut microbiome interacts with host metabolism, immunity, and neuroendocrine signaling. Evidence shows habitual exercise modulates microbial diversity and function, with athletes exhibiting distinct "athletic" profiles enriched in short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)–producing taxa and altered metabolism versus sedentary people.

Aim

Synthesize evidence on the bidirectional gut microbiome–exercise relationship, focusing on microbial links to exercise physiology, training adaptations, performance, and microbiome-targeted strategies for athlete health/performance.

Material and methods

Comprehensive review of Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed for human/animal studies on: (1) exercise-induced microbiota changes; (2) microbiome–fitness/performance associations; (3) microbial metabolites (e.g., SCFAs, bile acids); (4) dietary/probiotic/prebiotic interventions in athletes/active individuals. Prioritized recent reviews, RCTs, longitudinal studies; no meta-analysis due to heterogeneity.

Results

Endurance exercise links to higher diversity, SCFA-producers, and carbohydrate/amino acid metabolism capacity; extreme training causes dysbiosis, permeability, inflammation. SCFAs mediate diet–microbiota–host effects on mitochondria, substrate use, insulin sensitivity; gut signals affect immunity, barrier, gut–brain axis. Fiber-rich diets, select probiotics/synbiotics reduce illness, GI issues, inflammation, and may boost endurance/recovery.

Conclusions

The gut microbiome represents a modifiable factor in exercise physiology and athletic performance. Well-periodized training combined with microbiome-supportive nutrition may promote metabolic efficiency, immune resilience, and psychological robustness, whereas chronic excessive training and suboptimal diets may have adverse effects. Further progress requires well-designed, sport- and sex-specific longitudinal studies integrating multi-omics approaches and standardized exercise and intervention protocols.

Author Biographies

Mieszko Czapliński, University Clinical Centre in Gdańsk, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Dębinki 7, 80-952 

 



Bartłomiej Błaszkowski, F. Ceynowa Specialist Hospital, ul. Powstańców Warszawy 11, 84‑200 Wejherowo, Poland

 



Mateusz Kubicki, Faculty of Medicine, Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, al. IX Wieków Kielc 19a, 25-516 Kielce, Poland

 



Katarzyna Więckowska, Individual Medical Practice Katarzyna Więckowska, ul. Deszczowa 18, 40‑318 Katowice, Poland

Katarzyna, ORCID

E-mail 

8



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Quality in Sport

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2026-01-31

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1.
PUSTUŁA, Paweł, MICHNOWSKA, Wiktoria, HEBDA, Patryk, CZAPLIŃSKI, Mieszko, BRUSKA, Natalia, BŁASZKOWSKI, Bartłomiej, BILYK, Andrii, WOLSKI, Adam, KUBICKI, Mateusz and WIĘCKOWSKA, Katarzyna. The Role of the Gut Microbiome in Exercise Physiology and Athletic Performance: A Review of Evidence. Quality in Sport. Online. 31 January 2026. Vol. 50, p. 68111. [Accessed 1 February 2026]. DOI 10.12775/QS.2026.50.68111.
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Vol. 50 (2026)

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Medical Sciences

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Copyright (c) 2026 Paweł Pustuła, Wiktoria Michnowska, Patryk Hebda, Mieszko Czapliński, Natalia Bruska, Bartłomiej Błaszkowski, Andrii Bilyk, Adam Wolski, Mateusz Kubicki, Katarzyna Więckowska

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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