Happy New Year! As you start mapping out your fitness goals for the year ahead, I want to shine a light on a topic that isn’t talked about nearly enough—your gut microbiome. When we think about improving performance, we usually focus on training intensity, nutrition, and recovery. But there’s another powerful piece of the puzzle that often gets overlooked: the health of your gut.
Exercise has a powerful impact on gut microbiome
Moderate, regular exercise has been shown to improve gut microbial diversity, reduce inflammation, strengthen the intestinal barrier, and support healthier body composition. On the other hand, very intense or prolonged training—common in endurance athletes—can temporarily increase gut permeability and reduce protective mucus in the gut, allowing unwanted substances to enter the bloodstream and potentially increase inflammation.
The relationship goes both ways. Your gut microbiome can also influence exercise performance and overall health.
A more diverse gut microbiome contains beneficial bacteria that support energy metabolism, helping your body better fuel workouts and recover afterward. A robust microbiome also plays a key role in immune function, which is critical during periods of hard training.
Several factors affect how exercise and gut health interact, including diet, body composition, and training level. This means supporting your gut with proper nutrition and recovery strategies is just as important as how you train.
Where do probiotics fit in?
Research suggests that supplementing with specific probiotic strains may help athletes by:
- Reducing inflammation and gastrointestinal discomfort
- Improving endurance, performance markers, and recovery
- Lowering the risk of upper respiratory symptoms during intense training periods
By pairing smart training with gut-supportive habits, you can optimize not only how you perform—but how you feel day to day.
If you’d like to learn more about how to support your gut health alongside your training, our coaching team is always happy to help.
