**4. Diet modulation of gut microbiota in athletes**

Dietary changes are the most significant factor in altering gut microbiota both in infancy and in adulthood. Recently, it has been found that probiotics, polyphenols, prebiotics and antibiotics can modulate the gut microbiota community [71]. Many evidence have been reported, how probiotics, prebiotics alter the gut microbiota population which will benefit individuals suffering from metabolic disorder, gut permeability, inflammation, immune system and energy metabolism [14, 72].

Probiotics are food supplements that contained a live microorganism (Lactic acid bacteria), which confer a health benefits a health benefit for the host [73]. Many probiotics products are available in the markets like fermented milk and yogurt, etc. [74]. Consuming probiotics has a positive effect gut microbiota's population which will influences the immune function as well as intestinal epithelium

cell proliferation, function and protection in the athletes. Various double-blind clinical trials, cross-over pilot studies show that supplementation of probiotic bacteria can modulate the gut microbiota and have a beneficial effect on the individual with regular exercise training (listed in **Table 1**).

The effect of probiotic bacteria in athletes has been reported and assists athletes with respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders during the specific training periods. However, the effects of prebiotics are not being studied in athletes. Many researchers reported the specific type of dietary components can do a measurable change in gut microbiota composition thereby increasing the levels of *Lactobacilli* and *Bifidobacteria* and many butyrate producing bacteria. The increase in *Lactobacilli* and *Bifidobacteria* can influence the immune functions, intestinal epithelium cell proliferation and protect individuals from oxidative stress induced due to the exercise [82]. Some of the studies reported that supplementation of polyphenol increased health promoting microbiota *Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium,* and decreased pathogenic species *Clostridium* [83]. Roopchand [84] reported that polyphenols obtained from grape promote the growth of the gut bacterium *Akkermansia muciniphila* resulting in lower intestinal and systemic inflammation and improved metabolic system. These reported data can be a promised toward the various functional foods can regulate gut microbiome community, their structure and function



*The Interaction between Dietary Components, Gut Microbiome, and Endurance Performance DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97846*

#### **Table 1.**

*Effect of probiotics in trained individuals.*

which will directly or indirectly contribute toward the health and performance of athletes. Also, protein diet supplementation, increased *Akkermansia muciniphila,* thereby influence host immunity and host metabolism in athletes [51].
