It's Dead! Can Postbiotics Really Help Performance and Recovery? A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Nutritional Science
• Microbiome Research

Background:

• Postbiotics are gaining popularity, but their impact on exercise performance, recovery, and overall health remains largely unexplored.
• Understanding the role of non-viable microbial products in athletic adaptation is crucial for optimizing training outcomes.

Approach:

• A systematic literature search of PubMed and Google Scholar was conducted to identify relevant randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials.
• Inclusion criteria focused on studies involving healthy adults, postbiotic supplementation, and exercise-related outcomes, using diverse search terms for inactivated probiotics.

Key Points:

• Nine manuscripts and two conference abstracts were reviewed, involving 477 participants with supplementation periods from 13 days to 12 weeks.
• Outcomes assessed included exercise performance, strength recovery, body composition, fatigue, soreness, mood states, and biomarkers of muscle damage, inflammation, and oxidative stress.
• Early findings suggest postbiotics may positively influence mood, reduce perceived fatigue, and enhance athlete readiness during training.

Conclusions:

• Current evidence indicates potential benefits of postbiotic supplementation for mood support and fatigue reduction in athletes.
• Further research with extended supplementation periods and diverse athletic populations is necessary to elucidate the full potential of postbiotics in enhancing health, resilience, performance, and recovery.