Structured Exercise Modulates Gut Microbiota Composition and Protects Against Diet-Induced Dysbiosis in a Rat Model

Area of Science:

• Gut Microbiome Research
• Metabolic Health
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Diet and physical activity significantly shape gut microbiome structure.
• Gut dysbiosis is closely linked to metabolic disorders.
• The interactive effects of diet and exercise modalities on the gut microbiome are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the combined impact of diet type (normal chow vs. high-fat diet) and exercise modality (control, voluntary, forced) on rat gut microbiota.
• To identify specific microbial changes associated with different dietary and exercise interventions.

Main Methods:

• Randomized controlled study involving 63 Wistar rats across six diet and exercise groups.
• Fecal sample analysis using full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing (Oxford Nanopore Technologies).
• Assessment of alpha and beta diversity, and taxonomic composition at phylum and genus levels.

Main Results:

• High-fat diet (HFD) groups showed significantly higher alpha diversity than normal chow (NC) groups.
• Beta-diversity analysis indicated diet as the primary driver of microbial structure, with exercise exerting a modulatory effect.
• Forced exercise enriched beneficial genera like Akkermansia, Blautia, Coprococcus, and Roseburia, particularly in HFD groups.

Conclusions:

• Structured exercise, especially forced treadmill training, mitigates HFD-induced gut dysbiosis.
• Exercise promotes beneficial gut bacteria associated with improved metabolic health.
• Exercise modality is a critical consideration for dietary strategies aimed at modulating the gut microbiome.