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Multistrain Probiotic Supplementation Combined with a Standardized Diet Did Not Significantly Affect Exercise
Katarzyna Jagłowska1,2, Marcin Folwarski3, Maciej Chroboczek1
1Division of Physiology, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, 80-336 Gdansk, Poland.
Nutrients
|August 13, 2026
Summary
Multistrain probiotic supplementation did not improve exercise performance or reduce inflammation and muscle damage in trained male runners on a standardized diet. Further research with microbiome analysis is recommended.
Area of Science:
- Exercise physiology
- Nutritional science
- Microbiome research
Background:
- Gut microbiota influences exercise responses via the gut-muscle axis.
- Probiotics are proposed to aid endurance athlete adaptation and recovery.
- Evidence in trained athletes is inconsistent due to dietary and probiotic variability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of a multistrain probiotic on exercise performance.
- To assess changes in inflammatory, metabolic, and muscle-damage markers.
- To evaluate these effects in trained runners under a standardized diet.
Main Methods:
- Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 27 trained male runners.
- Four-week intervention with a standardized meal-box diet.
- Assessed aerobic capacity (VO2peak), anaerobic performance, IL-6, TNF-α, CK, and lactate pre- and post-supplementation.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in VO2peak between probiotic and placebo groups.
- Probiotic supplementation did not alter inflammatory markers (IL-6, TNF-α), muscle damage (CK), or lactate response to exercise.
- Exercise robustly increased IL-6, TNF-α, and lactate in both groups.
Conclusions:
- Four weeks of multistrain probiotics did not enhance performance or biomarkers in trained runners on a controlled diet.
- Larger trials with microbiome analysis and clear endpoints are needed.
- Probiotic supplementation did not significantly impact exercise-induced physiological responses in this cohort.
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