Author(s): GREEN, C., ONG, M., ROWLAND, S., BAILEY, S., CLIFFORD, T., BONGIOVANNI, T., HEANEY, L., Institution: LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY, Country: UNITED KINGDOM, Abstract-ID: 1879

INTRODUCTION:
Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are gut microbiome derived metabolites that have been shown to affect whole-body physiology and health in humans. Animal studies have demonstrated that chronic SCFA supplementation can increase endurance capacity and reduce the amount of muscle damage experienced during exercise. Additionally, SCFAs have been reported to have anti-inflammatory properties that may help to alleviate the negative effects of exercise induced muscle damage (e.g., delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)). The impact of SCFA supplementation on exercise performance and recovery in humans is yet to be investigated. We therefore assessed the effect of chronic SCFA supplementation on 5 km running performance and subjective response to muscle damage in recreationally active humans.
METHODS:
In a randomised control trial study design, 18 (1 female) healthy participants completed a 31-day supplementation period consuming either SCFA supplements (sodium acetate, calcium propionate and sodium butyrate) or placebo. Supplement group: 8 (1 female) participants (22 ± 3 yrs, 70.53 ± 11.71 kg). Placebo group: 9 (0 female) participants (23 ± 2 yrs, 77.01 ± 14.20 kg). On day 1 and day 28 of supplementation, participants completed a 5 km running time trial on a treadmill. Immediately post the 2nd time trial, a drop jump protocol to induce muscle damage was completed. Subjective measurement of lower body DOMS after performing a bodyweight squat was recorded using a 200 mm visual analogue scale on each of the 3 remaining days of supplementation (recovery days 1 to 3). A two-way ANOVA for independent groups was performed to detect differences in time trial performance between and within groups. A linear mixed effects model was performed to detect differences in DOMS between and within groups during the recovery period. All data are presented as mean ± SD.
RESULTS:
Time trial performance was not different pre vs post supplementation for either group or between supplements at any time (all, p ≥ 0.433). Running times in the SCFA group were 23.49 ± 3.51 and 22.79 ± 2.98 mins for pre and post supplementation period respectively. Running times in the placebo group were 22.46 ± 2.28 and 22.35 ± 2.18 mins for pre and post supplementation period respectively. DOMS at baseline was not different between groups (p = 0.838). DOMs were 18 ± 16 and 16 ± 13 mm, for SCFA and placebo respectively. In both groups DOMS was greater than baseline on day 1 (52 ± 22 and 46 ± 19 mm, for SCFA and placebo respectively) and day 2 (51 ± 26 and 42 ± 27 mm) (all, p < 0.001) and returned to baseline by day 3 (28 ± 18 and 18 ± 19 mm, for SCFA and placebo respectively) (both p ≥ 0.188). DOMS was not different between groups at any time (all, p ≥ 0.294).
CONCLUSION:
Unlike data obtained from animal studies, 4 weeks of combined SCFA supplementation did not affect 5km running performance in recreationally active individuals. Subjective response to muscle damage was also unaffected by supplementation.