The intestinal tract of humans harbors a dynamic and complex bacterial community known as the gut microbiota, which plays a crucial role in regulating functions such as metabolism and immunity in the human body. Numerous studies conducted in recent decades have also highlighted the significant potential of the gut microbiota in promoting human health. It is widely recognized that training and nutrition strategies are pivotal factors that allow athletes to achieve optimal performance. Consequently, there has been an increasing focus on whether training and dietary patterns influence sports performance through their impact on the gut microbiota. In this review, we aim to present the concept and primary functions of the gut microbiota, explore the relationship between exercise and the gut microbiota, and specifically examine the popular dietary patterns associated with athletes’ sports performance while considering their interaction with the gut microbiota. Finally, we discuss the potential mechanisms by which dietary patterns affect sports performance from a nutritional perspective, aiming to elucidate the intricate interplay among dietary patterns, the gut microbiota, and sports performance. We have found that the precise application of specific dietary patterns (ketogenic diet, plant-based diet, high-protein diet, Mediterranean diet, and high intake of carbohydrate) can improve vascular function and reduce the risk of illness in health promotion, etc., as well as promoting recovery and controlling weight with regard to improving sports performance, etc. In conclusion, although it can be inferred that certain aspects of an athlete’s ability may benefit from specific dietary patterns mediated by the gut microbiota to some extent, further high-quality clinical studies are warranted to substantiate these claims and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Gut microbiota has been reported to contribute to reduced diet-induced obesity upon cold exposure. Furthermore, gut microbiome fermentation determines the efficacy of exercise for diabetes prevention and enhances exercise performance. However, there have been no systematic examinations of changes in gut microbiome composition in relation to exercise performed under low-temperature conditions. In this study, we investigated the effects of exercise performed under different conditions (room temperature, acute cold, intermittent cold, and sustained cold) in obese rats maintained on a high-fat diet at four time points during experimental trials (days 0, 1, 3, and 35), including observations on white fat browning, weight loss, cardiovascular effects, and changes in gut microbiota among treatment groups. We found that exercise under sustained cold conditions produced a remarkable shift in microbiota composition. Unexpectedly, exercise was found to reverse the alterations in gut microbiota alpha-diversity and the abundance of certain bacterial phyla observed in response to cold exposure (e.g., Proteobacteria decreased upon cold exposure but increased in response to exercise under cold conditions). Moreover, exercise under cold conditions (hereafter referred to “cold exercise”) promoted a considerably higher level of white fat browning and greater weight loss and protected against the negative cardiovascular effects of cold exposure. Correlation analysis revealed that cold exercise-related changes in gut microbial communities were significantly correlated with white fat browning and cardiovascular phenotypes. These results could reveal novel mechanisms whereby additional health benefits attributable to both cold and exercise are mediated via altered gut microbes differently compared with either of them alone.

Purpose. To identify noninvasive immune biomarkers of exercise‐induced immunosuppression using the iTRAQ proteomics technique. Methods. Fifteen healthy males were recruited and subjected to a four‐week incremental treadmill running training program. After each week of training, WBC counts and CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ lymphocytes were measured to monitor the immune function status. iTRAQ proteomics technology was used to identify differential proteins and their characteristics in urine. Results. Our data showed that the WBC counts, CD4⁺ lymphocytes, and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio decreased by more than 10% after four weeks of training, suggesting exercise‐induced immunosuppression. A total of 1854 proteins were identified in urine during the incremental running using the iTRAQ technology. Compared with the urine before training, there were 89, 52, 77, and 148 proteins significantly upregulated and 66, 27, 68, and 114 proteins significantly downregulated after each week, respectively. Among them, four upregulated proteins, SEMG‐1, PIP, PDGFRL, and NDPK, increased their abundance with the increased exercise intensity. Bioinformatics analysis indicates that these proteins are involved in stress response and immune function. Conclusion. Four weeks of incremental treadmill running induced immunosuppression in healthy males. By using iTRAQ proteomics, four proteins in the urine, SEMG‐1, PIP, PDGFRL, and NDPK, were found to increase incrementally with the increased exercise intensity, which have the potential to be used as noninvasive immune biomarkers of exercise‐induced immunosuppression.

Intense exercise training can induce low concentrations of hemoglobin, which may be followed by maladaptation. Therefore, it is important for athletes to prevent low concentrations of hemoglobin during intense exercise training. In this study, we explored whether different protocols of intermittent hypoxic exposure (IHE, normobaric hypoxia, 14.5% O₂) could prevent the exercise training-induced reduction in hemoglobin concentration in rats. Six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to progressive intense treadmill exercise training over three weeks followed by three weeks of training with IHE after exercise. IHE lasted either 1 h, 2 h, or 1 h + 1 h (separated by a 3-h interval) after the exercise sessions. Hematological parameters, including hemoglobin concentration [(Hb)], red blood cells (RBCs), and hematocrit (Hct), and both renal and serum erythropoietin (EPO) were examined. We found that intense exercise training significantly reduced [Hb], RBCs, Hct, food intake and body weight (P < 0.01). Analysis of reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr) and reticulocyte counts in the serum of the rats suggested that this reduction was not due to iron deficiency or other cofounding factors. The addition of IHE after the intense exercise training sessions significantly alleviated the reduction in [Hb], RBCs, and Hct (P < 0.05) without an obvious impact on either food intake or body weight (P > 0.05). Increase in reticulocyte count in the rats from the IHE groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) suggests that IHE promotes erythropoiesis to increase the hemoglobin concentration. Furthermore, the addition of IHE after the intense exercise training sessions also significantly increased the concentration of renal EPO (P < 0.05), although the increase of the serum EPO level was statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). The different IHE protocols were similarly effective at increasing renal EPO and preventing the training-induced decreases in [Hb], RBCs, and Hct. Collectively, this study suggests that IHE may be used as a new strategy to prevent intense exercise training-induced reductions in [Hb], and deserves future exploration in athletes.

Bone maintains a relatively stable bone mass by balancing bone formation and resorption. The development of osteoporosis is closely associated with the disruption of this balance. Muscles and bones, integral components of the musculoskeletal system, are functionally interconnected, and the onset of osteoporosis is frequently linked to the decline in skeletal muscle function. Exosomes play a crucial role in facilitating chemical information exchange between muscles and bones. This study aims to elucidate the effects of skeletal muscle-derived exosomes on bone formation and resorption, investigate their therapeutic potential for osteoporosis, and propose novel strategies for osteoporosis treatment and targeted drug development. The Translational Potential of this Article: This study investigated the potential of skeletal muscle-derived exosomes in osteoporosis treatment, elucidating their critical role in modulating bone formation and resorption. By clarifying the interaction mechanisms between muscle and bone mediated by exosomes, this research laid a theoretical foundation for novel therapeutic strategies. Therapies based on serve as more targeted and efficient interventions with fewer side effects, thereby advancing the field of bone tissue engineering and offering new prospects for the prevention and management of osteoporosis.

Objective To observe the effects of different load resistance training on skeletal muscle dystrophy in aging rats by observing the expression of protein and protein of IGF-I and TNF-α in aging rats after 8 weeks of different load resistance training. The resistance training delays the theoretical basis for anti-skeletal muscle aging. Methods 40 aging SD rats (18 months old) were randomly divided into a quiet control group, a non-weight-bearing exercise group, 30% of the largest negative recombination, 50% of the largest negative recombination, and 70% of the largest negative recombination. The sports group carried the treadmill movement with the tail load, the slope was 35°, the running speed was 15m/min, the rest was 30s every 15s, the rest was 3min after four cycles, and the three groups were one cycle. The cycle was intermittent for 10 minutes, and the exercise frequency was the next day for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, the rat gastrocnemius muscle was taken. The protein content of the gastrocnemius muscle was determined by Coomassie brilliant blue method. The contents of IGF-I and TNF-α in the gastrocnemius muscle were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results After 1.8 weeks of different load resistance exercise, compared with the quiet control group, the skeletal muscle protein content of each exercise group increased, among which 50% of the largest negative recombination and 70% of the largest negative recombination was the most significant (P0.05). Conclusions 50% of the maximum weight-bearing resistance training can effectively increase the skeletal muscle muscle protein content of aging SD rats, and it is related to up-regulation of IGF-I factor and down-regulation of TNF-α factor expression by resistance training.