A moderate sport of 30-60 minutes a day seems to be what benefits our “friendly” bacteria the most, helping them to defend us from obesity, metabolic and autoimmune diseases, among other things
Movement has always been known to be healthy for physical and mental well-being. More surprising, however, is to discover, after years of research conducted on animals and humans, that physical activity can influence ours microbiotaas stated in an article published on Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews. “It is not yet clear how this happens, but several theories have been formulated that will need to be deepened with other research” he explains Vincenzo Mondaspecialist in Food Science and PhD in Biochemistry and Biotechnology at the University of Naples Parthenope and co-author of a study, which appeared on Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, dedicated to this aspect. “One of the theories is that exercise changes the production of lactic acid in the intestinal lumen which could serve as fuel for some bacterial species of our “allies”. Movement is also thought to change the levels of certain hormones and gastrointestinal vascularity. A more efficient blood flow to the intestine leads to a greater nourishment of the intestine itself which, in turn, favors an improvement in mood, the quality of the nervous system, management of stress, anxiety and sleep. , all possible enemies of the microbiota ».
Counteract inflammation
Another potential mechanism relates to changes induced by physical activity in the immune system thanks to the increase of bacterial communities which, through fermentation, produce short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate. “Unlike other fats, butyrate is absorbed without the need to bind to any molecule” explains the expert. “It immediately passes the intestinal barrier and becomes the main fuel of the” local “cells whose role is fundamental: to act as a barrier, so as to counteract the inflammation that is the basis of many chronic-degenerative diseases such as obesity and diabetes, and strengthen our immune defenses. In short, the benefits of movement seem to depend on the growth of changes in the environment in which the microbiota lives. These modifications improve the microbiota and facilitate its variability microbiome, the set of the entire genetic makeup of microbes“. The next step will be to understand, for example, how the different types of exercises and their duration can alter the microbial community or how the changes can be different depending on the body mass index of each subject. «For now it has been proven with more certainty that moderate sport of 30-60 minutes promotes the quality of the microbiome. So it is advisable to move one hour every day: oxidative stress is lower than when you train four hours at once a week or three every day ”, concludes the expert.
What to put on the table
The microbiota, considered a real organ, is made up of one hundred thousand billion bacteria, viruses, fungi that in our intestine compete for space and food. «The more it is broad and differentiated, the more it will perform. Today we have come to count in the gut beyond a thousand different species of bacteria»Says Vincenzo Monda. «Most of it is useful in nourishing cells, producing nutrients and vitamins from otherwise non-digestible substances, preventing the colonization of harmful viruses and bacteria, strengthening the immune system’s defenses by influencing the extent of inflammation, regulating fat metabolism. An altered microbiota is associated with an increased presence of obesity, cardiometabolic and autoimmune diseases. To help him thrive in a healthy way a varied diet helps more than 30 different plant foods per week. In addition to vegetables and fruit, they must not be missing at the table whole grains, ancient grains such as millet and buckwheat, unhulled legumes, dried fruit and lots of water. The fibers of these foods are the favorite food of our “friendly” bacteria, unless otherwise indicated by a specialist. Power alone is not enough. It has been seen, in fact, that those who change their diet improve more slowly than those who add on the same diet a daily sport session. Avoiding drug abuse with self care and smoking are also factors that can have a positive effect on the microbiota. How long does it take to perceive the changes? If we start from a non-optimal microbial situation, 7-10 days are enough ».
October 31, 2022 (change October 31, 2022 | 09:10)
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