Abstract details
| Abstract-ID: | 1983 |
| Title of the paper: | The cyclists’ gut: impact of a Grand Tour on the gut microbiome of female World Tour cyclists |
| Authors: | Ampe, T., Decroix, L., De Pauw, K., Meeusen, R., Roelands, B. |
| Institution: | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
| Department: | HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY AND SPORTS PHYSIOTHERAPY |
| Country: | Belgium |
| Abstract text | INTRODUCTION: The gut microbiome has emerged as a potential factor influencing endurance performance, yet its response to elite stage racing remains unclear. This sub-study examined the impact of a Grand Tour (GT) on gut microbiome, diet and training load in elite female World Tour cyclists. It was hypothesised that the extreme physical load and performance-oriented diet during the GT would affect gut microbiome composition and function. METHODS: Nine elite female cyclists (age 26.4±4.0 years, BMI 20.3±0.8 kg/m˛, FTP 4.9±0.4 W/kg) from a World Tour team participated in this quasi-experimental study. Faecal samples, dietary intake, training data and physiological markers were collected in the 7 days before (PRE) and during (POST) the Giro Donne (n=2) or Tour de France Femmes (n=7). Gut microbiome composition and function were analysed using 16S rRNA sequencing and metabolic profiling. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to assess PRE–POST differences. RESULTS: During the GT, Training Stress Score was higher than PRE (243.7 [IQR 46.1] vs 95.4 [IQR 27.8], p=0.004), with increased active energy expenditure (2776.4 kcal/day [IQR 199.7], p=0.004). This was compensated by higher energy intake (4115.4 kcal/day [IQR 902.1], p=0.004), mainly via increased sugar (466.4 vs 251.8 g, p<0.001) and starch (220.8 vs 169.0 g, p=0.031), resulting in lower relative fibre intake (2.9% vs 4.2%, p=0.004). Gut microbiome alpha-diversity did not change significantly (PRE 1.74 [IQR 0.4], POST 1.97 [IQR 0.6], p=0.734), although richness decreased in 7 of 9 riders. At phylum and family level, Firmicutes and Veillonellaceae tended to increase, while Ruminococcaceae increased significantly (8.1% [IQR 5.0] vs 11.8% [IQR 8.2], p=0.039); other taxa showed non-significant shifts. Short-chain fatty acids did not change significantly, although butyrate tended to increase (13.9 vs 27.2 µmol/g, p=0.097). Gastrointestinal symptom scores tended to be higher POST (3.0 [IQR 2.8] vs 5.5 [IQR 2.5], p=0.098). CONCLUSION: In elite female World Tour cyclists, a GT induced a large increase in training load and carbohydrate-focused energy intake, with reduced relative fibre intake, but no significant changes in global gut microbiome diversity or faecal short-chain fatty acids. Decreased richness in most riders, higher relative abundances of Firmicutes, Veillonellaceae and Ruminococcaceae, and trends toward increased butyrate and gastrointestinal symptoms suggest subtle, functionally relevant adaptations of the gut ecosystem to stage racing demands. These data indicate that the gut microbiome appears relatively resilient under extreme load, yet may undergo nuanced taxonomic and metabolic shifts that merit further investigation in larger, longitudinal cohorts. |
| Topic: | Nutrition |
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