The performance gut: a key to optimizing performance in high-level athletes: a systematic scoping review

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Microbiology
• Human Performance

Background:

• The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in athletic performance, influencing energy metabolism, inflammation, and recovery.
• Understanding the gut microbiome's composition and its relationship with training in elite athletes is essential but remains poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the evidence on the relationship between training and gut microbiome in high-level athletes.
• To identify sport-specific microbial patterns, analyze nutritional intervention effects, and highlight research gaps.

Main Methods:

• A systematic scoping review following the PRISMA-ScR framework.
• Searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (2015-2025) for studies on elite athletes, training, nutrition, and performance/health outcomes.

Main Results:

• Nineteen studies were included, revealing sport-specific microbiome modulations and altered metabolic profiles.
• Correlations between microbial stability and athletic performance, synergistic effects of training with probiotics, and impacts of nutrition were observed.
• Methodological heterogeneity and short study durations were identified limitations.

Conclusions:

• The gut microbiome is vital for optimizing athletic performance, necessitating an integrated training and nutrition approach.
• Further research is required to define specific microbiome trends across different sports, competition levels, and targeted supplementation strategies for elite athletes.