When it comes to athletic performance, we often focus on output. The effort we put into training, hours in the weight room, and how we perform on game day. But many athletes spend far less time thinking about their inputs — what they eat and how it affects their body. Even fewer consider how these inputs impact their microbiome, and why that’s critical to their health, recovery, and athletic performance.
What Is the Microbiome?
The microbiome is the collection of microorganisms — like bacteria, fungi, and viruses — that live within specific systems or habitats. The most prevalent microorganism are bacteria, both good and bad. While we often associate the microbiome with the digestive system, they’re also present on the skin and in the mouth.
Yes, even with regular hand washing and brushing your teeth, bacteria and other microorganisms live on your skin and inside your mouth. While we’re taught to wash away dirt and germs, eliminating all microorganisms would actually harm your health. A balanced microbiome is essential for your well-being, health and ultimately, your athletic success.
Microbiome and Immune Function
While some microorganisms can be harmful, many are incredibly helpful — it’s all about balance. A shift toward too many bad bacteria can lead to disease. However, a diverse population of good bacteria helps defend the body by inhibiting the growth and effects of harmful organisms.
Your microbiome also plays a major role in immune function. Some exposure to certain bacteria “trains” the immune system to recognize and fight off pathogens in the event they are able to colonize and produce disease. Good bacteria help positively regulate the immune system, strengthening your defenses, while harmful bacteria may weaken or block immune function. For athletes, maintaining a strong immune system can make the difference between staying healthy or missing key practices and games. This starts in the gut!
Microbiome and Digestion
Humans can’t digest fiber on their own — and yet, nutritionists constantly emphasize fiber intake. Why? Fiber plays two crucial roles:
- It supports food movement through the digestive system.
- It feeds the beneficial bacteria in the microbiome.
Bacteria and other microrganisms function throughout the digestive system, however they have much greater digestive capacity within the large intestine. It is here where microorganisms interact with other nutritional components, such as fiber, to produce important by-products that affect our health and performance. These byproducts can range from essential vitamins to obscure short chain fatty acids that perhaps you’ve never heard of despite their relative importance.
One of the most important byproducts produced is butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid produced when gut bacteria ferment fiber and other nutrients.
Why Is Butyrate Important for Athlete Health and Performance?
There is growing knowledge of the importance of butyrate for gut health in people. We know that it serves as a primary energy source for the cells lining the digestive tract. In animal nutrition — my field of expertise — we’ve long understood the powerful effects of butyrate on health and growth of animals.
For athletes, butyrate supports gut integrity by helping intestinal cells repair and maintain themselves. Strong gut integrity ensures that gastric material stays contained in the intestine and out of the bloodstream. In addition, butyrate also drives nutrient absorption and promotes proper water and electrolyte absorption. This is key for preventing dehydration and diarrhea, both major risks for athletes.
Butyrate is also beneficial in reducing inflammation, especially inflammation originating in the gut. Gut inflammation can affect the entire body. Considering the intense physical demands athletes face, managing inflammation is crucial for recovery, injury prevention, and sustained high-level performance.
What Should You Do as an Athlete?
Start with a well-balanced diet. Prioritize quality protein, carbohydrates, fats, and fiber to fuel both your body and your microbiome.
While fat is essential for overall health, excessive fat intake can negatively impact gut bacteria and health, so balance is key. Fiber is especially important — yet many athletes overlook it while prioritizing protein and carbohydrates. Don’t overlook fiber. Feeding your microbiome with fiber-rich foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains support digestion, immune health, and energy production.
Get the Most from Your Body
Researchers are discovering more every year about how our microbiome, specifically our gut bacteria, influence everything from diabetes to brain function to mental health. If the microbiome can impact something as complex as cancer risk, imagine how much it can affect your daily performance on the field or court.
As highlighted in a previous article at Ball to Life, what we eat everyday determines out potential tomorrow. Balance in everything is key but we need to prioritize our inputs as much as out outputs. Being the best you can be starts with nutrition and gut health. Maximizing every ounce of your athletic potential starts with your inputs. We want you playing ball today and for the rest of your life. This is where it starts.
To get the most from your body, feed your microbiome.
Your performance depends on it.
BtL
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