Do you struggle with stomach problems when you run long distances? If so, you’re not alone. It’s common for endurance runners and triathletes to suffer from stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, gas, and diarrhea due to poor absorption and digestion while exercising.
If you’ve experienced these types of symptoms, then you also know that they can negatively impact your running performance and enjoyment.
As athletes, we’re always looking for ways to enhance our performance and overall well-being. One area that has gained a lot of attention in recent years for gut health is the use of probiotics, or “good bacteria”.
From drinks to energy bars to pills, various versions of probiotics are everywhere these days, marketed as a necessity for better health. Perhaps you have wondered if taking probiotics is a good idea for both general health and running performance.
In this blog, we will address the question, “Should runners take probiotics?” by reviewing the scientific research behind probiotic use among runners to help you determine if you should add them to your wellness routine.
What Are Probiotics?
First off, what are probiotics? Probiotics are live bacteria that can benefit your health, especially the digestive system, because they live in the large intestine and can help to break down food, protect the gut lining, and help make essential vitamins for the body. They are often referred to as “good” or “friendly” bacteria because they benefit your health and help prevent an overgrowth of “bad” bacteria.
Some benefits of probiotics, depending on the strain, are:
- Improved digestion and nutrient absorption
- Improved immunity
- Reduced intestinal inflammation
- Reduction in “leaky gut” or gut permeability
- Reduction or prevention of diarrhea and/or constipation
What to Know About Probiotics
Before you rush to the store to stock up on probiotic supplements, it’s important to understand that the research on probiotic use – especially among athletes – is still new, exploratory, and inconclusive. There are billions of bacteria living in our intestines, in food and soil, and in the environment. Each person has a unique gut microbiome (the community of bacteria in your gut), and we cannot say with any certainty what a “normal” or “healthy” microbiome is just yet. There are simply too many types and combinations that are still being researched. And that doesn’t even include supplemental probiotics!
Despite the abundance of probiotic supplements and foods being sold in stores and online, there are very few evidence-based recommendations can be made from the current scientific literature due to inconsistent findings.
4 questions to keep in mind when considering, “should runners take probiotics?”
- Is the bacteria still alive and from a reputable company? Many probiotics don’t last long in supplement containers and some may require 24-hour refrigeration to survive. And companies with poor practices may sell products that don’t even contain what the label says they contain. So, at worst, you could be wasting money on a product that could cause more GI upset or do nothing at all.
- What are the probiotic strains proven to do in the body? The term “probiotic” gets thrown around as if they’re all the same and all beneficial. But various strains do different things in the body. So don’t just choose any random pill and assume it will help you. In some cases, it can make gut problems worse, which you definitely don’t want to experience before a run or during recovery.
- Do the bacteria survive the digestive tract to reach the large intestine?
Some bacteria are not strong enough or packaged in a delivery system that will allow them to survive stomach acid and reach the intestines where they are needed. Again, you may just be wasting money on probiotics that never reach the point of doing any good.
- Does the combination of strains work synergistically?
Some research on probiotics has shown that certain strains of bacteria can “cancel each other out”. So while strain A and strain B may each have great benefits, when you combine them, they may lose effectiveness altogether.
The answers to these questions can be found by going to the company’s website, or contacting them directly to find out how they ensure effectiveness and what research they based their product development on.
So, what if you do find a high-quality, evidence-based product for your needs? Will it still help you as a runner to feel and perform better?
What We Know About Probiotics for Runners and Athletes
When it comes to probiotic use among athletes for stomach problems and performance, no conclusive recommendations can be made. In fact, less than 10 studies have even been done on the use of probiotics among trained endurance runners. Still, several randomized control trials have looked at probiotic use among endurance runners to test the question, should runners take probiotics for gut health and performance? Let’s look at some of the differences in study outcomes…
Studies have tested both multi-strain probiotics (more than one probiotic type in a capsule) and single-strain probiotics (only one bacteria type per capsule) among athletes. While some studies observed improvements to gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms during endurance events, others saw no significant changes.
Three studies tested multi-strain probiotics and found that two of them observed improvements to GI symptoms during marathon running and a 70.3 triathlon. However, a study with ultra-marathoners (more than 60 miles) saw no significant changes in GI symptoms.
Two studies looked at single-strain probiotics and one found improvements in the gut microbiome, but did not assess GI symptoms. The other saw no significant improvements to the gut or GI symptoms.
Most of these studies have also looked at a much larger percentage of male endurance runners. However, females are more prone to digestive problems, so the same results may not apply. Additionally, not all improvements to GI symptoms equated to faster running or recovery times.
Every study used different strains of bacteria, in different amounts and for different lengths of time. No studies have looked at the exact same strain combination and amount and assessed runners in the exact same conditions to compare findings equally.
The effectiveness of probiotics appears to be specific to the dose, strain, and length of use, and may also depend on the individual’s gut microbiome. Each person may respond slightly differently based on their current gut microbiome diversity.
How Does Probiotic Research Apply to the Everyday Endurance Athlete?
Despite the popularity of probiotics, it’s important for runners to approach their use with caution due to all of the points already discussed.
On the flip side, probiotics may offer many benefits for runners to consider.
Possible Benefits of Probiotics for Runners
- Improved performance/speed: When a probiotic appears to effectively reduce GI symptoms, this may translate to improved athletic performance, since problems like side stitches or diarrhea can slow down or stop training or racing.
- Reduced inflammation and GI upset: In some instances, it could also mean that a runner might have less inflammation and gut permeability during and/or after endurance exercise, which affects various aspects of our health and may reduce GI upset during and after exercise.
- Better recovery: Probiotics may assist with nutrient breakdown and absorption, helping an endurance athlete to recover better because their body is getting more of the macro and micronutrients that it requires.
Should Runners Take Probiotics?
There should be a specific reason to take probiotics, such as poor diversity in nutrition, recent antibiotic treatment, or irregular bowel movements. Just because they’re popular or your running buddy told you they started taking one and it helped them in some way, these are not reasons to start taking one yourself. You could end up wasting money and in some cases, even make symptoms worse. Some people can actually experience worse GI symptoms when taking certain probiotics.
Keep in mind that probiotics are also found in food, which is the safest way to get them when you’re not sure about supplementation. Foods that naturally contain probiotics include yogurt, tempeh, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, homemade kombucha, and other fermented foods.
It should also be noted that all of the studies mentioned above were done on healthy individuals. If you have an ongoing GI issue like irregular bowel movements, IBS, Celiac disease, IBD, gastritis, etc, you should consult with your doctor to see if there is a GI disorder that needs to be addressed. You may also want to consult with a dietitian to see if a food-first, lifestyle approach may be more effective in managing your GI upset and improving your athletic performance. They may also be able to recommend an evidence-based probiotic supplement for your specific needs.
If you decide to take a probiotic, monitor how it affects your digestion and GI symptoms such as bloating, gas, digestion, muscle recovery, and/or change in bowel movements.
Final Thoughts
So…should runners take probiotics? While probiotics hold promise for athletes, it’s crucial to approach their use with discernment. Consulting with a healthcare professional or a sports nutritionist before incorporating probiotics into your routine is a wise decision. A sports dietitian may be able to help you figure out the root cause for your GI issues and make holistic recommendations for improving your digestion and running performance. Remember, what works for one person may not work for another, so it’s essential to prioritize individualized care when considering probiotic supplementation.
For an evidence-based guide for some of the probiotics out there and what they do, check out the US Probiotic Guide to learn more about which probiotics may be useful for various GI conditions/symptoms.
References
- Four weeks of probiotic supplementation reduces GI symptoms during a marathon race
- Endotoxin levels in novice long distance triathletes, and the effects of a multi-strain probiotic/prebiotic, antioxidant intervention
- Effect of a multi-strain probiotic supplement on gastrointestinal symptoms and serum biochemical parameters of long-distance runners
- UCC118 supplementation reduces exercise-induced gastrointestinal permeability and remodels the gut microbiome in healthy humans.
- Safety of Bifidobacterium breve, employing a human exercise-induced intestinal permeability model
- Do probiotics live up to the hype? Part II
