Bacteria in your gut can influence the amount of dopamine released, regulating the motivation to exercise. This is according to a new study published in Nature.
Interestingly, this builds on the understanding of a gut-brain “axis” connected through the microbiome.
The microbiome has been linked with many parts of sports performance and recovery, including muscle growth. It is for this reason that the Skin Microbiome School have embarked on an initial study with a high level college sports team.
This gut-brain axis is a relatively under-researched area, compared to the gut microbiome’s effects on other areas of whole body health.
J. Nicholas Betley envisages that this “could offer cheap, safe, diet-based ways of getting ordinary people running and optimizing elite athletes’ performance.
The question is, are athletes taking taking full care of their microbiome?
