Can stool transplantation improve athletes' athletic performance?
Can microorganisms found in the intestine, called "microbiota", whose importance has been understood in recent years, giving hope for the treatment of many diseases, be effective in improving the performance of active athletes? Experts working in the field of sports genetics state that stool transplantation can be effective in improving the performance of athletes.
Üsküdar University Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences Lecturer Assoc. Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan made evaluations regarding the studies on microbiota (microorganisms in the intestines), whose importance has been understood in recent years, to increase the performance of active athletes.
Stating that microbiota (microorganisms in the intestine), which has gained importance in the last 4-5 years, gives hope to the treatment of many diseases, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan said, "The transplantation of fecal transplants in the treatment of many diseases is rapidly developing and progressing. Not only against intestinal problems, but also in the treatment of many psychiatric diseases, from obesity to metabolic syndrome, applications give good results in relieving the symptoms of diseases."
Promising with fecal transplantation
Stating that stool transplantation, which has been proven to be effective in studies, may work in active athletes, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan said, "It is estimated that approximately 100 trillion bacteria live in our intestines. While these bacteria break down some large molecules for us, they synthesize chemical molecules necessary for our metabolism such as hormones and vitamins. So there is a kind of mutual life. It is known that these bacteria can be 500 to 1000 different species and differ much more from us in terms of genetic diversity. There have been many studies on microbiota and it seems that this subject will keep the world of science busy. Especially the microbiota difference between healthy individuals and sick individuals brought fecal microbiota transplantation, roughly fecal transplantation, to the agenda and promising results were obtained."
Fecal microbiota can be used to improve athletic performance
Stating that studies on the relationship between athletic performance and microbiota have also come to the agenda, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan noted that microbiota is important for exercise and said, "There are also good studies on athletic performance, and when microbiota analyzes of more successful athletes are performed, it is observed that it is different from the general society. In recent studies, it has been observed that although the microbiota of two different people is not the same, it is very close to each other in athletes. It was analyzed that Veillonella, one of the bacteria that make up the microbiota, was found more in successful athletes. When they transferred this bacterium to the animals, they observed that the performance of the subjects increased. It was observed that this bacterium caused the mice to provide more energy by re-metabolizing the lactate produced as a result of exercise. This study shows that microbiota is important for exercise."
Studies will answer the questions
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan said, "Of course, many questions come to mind; whether the number of these bacteria in the flora increases as a result of exercise, or whether athletic performance increases as a result of the proliferation of these bacteria. It seems that this relationship will be further examined with such studies."
Will fecal microbiota transplantation be considered doping?
Stating that doping practice is very sensitive, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan pointed out that more studies should be done on this issue and said the following:
"WADA and its associates are very sensitive about this issue, activities that are not natural to our body and increase athletic performance can be included in doping practice. Increasing the number of these bacteria already naturally, for example through nutrition, cannot be considered as doping. However, if such practices are carried out to increase the normal limits and cause side effects that can be harmful to the body, then the debate about whether it is doping or not can flare up. As studies increase over time and microbiota metabolism is further elucidated, these questions will be answered. More studies on this subject are necessary."