Cyclists sprint to the finish line at the European Championship 2024. Fecal transplants from a group of elite athletes boosted levels of a particular energy-storing molecule in mice. One of the keys to performing like an elite athlete — or at least having the metabolism of one — may be pooping like one. Transplanting feces from certain top-level cyclists and soccer players into mice boosted levels of a molecule that fuels intense workouts , researchers report March 27 in Cell Reports .
Our gut microbiota — the collection of bacteria and other microorganisms living in our digestive tract — play a crucial role in helping us digest food. When digestion goes terribly awry, a refresh of these gut bacteria may provide relief. Fecal microbiota transplants , in which a donor’s poop is transplanted into another person’s gut, have been used to treat inflammatory bowel disease and other conditions. Email Sign up for the SN Newsletter By continuing, you acknowledge that you are at least 13 years of age and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Under 13? Check out Science News Explores . Frédéric Derbré, a physiologist at Rennes 2 University in France, and his colleagues wanted to analyze the gut microbiota of top-level athletes and see how mice fared when they received fecal transplants from these athletes. The team focused on both athletes and nonathletes who maintained healthy diets to rule out gut microbiota differences caused by varying eating habits.
Analysis of the cohort’s poop revealed […]
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