This systematic review and meta-analysis examines how an acute period of vigorous physical activity impacts gastrointestinal health in healthy populations.
- Researchers analysed data from 34 studies to determine the consequences of a single, acute session of exercise on markers of gut integrity. The results confirmed that an intense bout of activity causes a significant increase in both gut damage and subsequent gut permeability across participants.
- This detrimental impact on the gut lining was found to be notably worse when the exercise was performed in hot environments (above 23 °C), likely due to increased thermoregulatory stress. However, the comprehensive analysis indicated that the total duration of the exercise session did not significantly influence the extent of the observed cellular injury or compromised barrier function.
- Ultimately, the authors recommend that future work focus on developing nutritional strategies to minimise these adverse gastrointestinal effects in athletic populations.
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