We have been speaking lately about gut health – and how your diet can influence medical conditions that affect your entire body. However, you may not realize that exercise can also positively (or adversely) impact gut health, and it is important to understand the balance in order to optimize overall health. This article will discuss balancing diet and exercise to feel your best every day.
The gut microbiome is comprised of trillions of microorganisms—microbes, viruses and bacteria living together. The primary purpose of the gut microbiome includes the metabolism of nutrients and immune function. Gut health (or lack thereof) also impacts the inflammatory homeostasis of the body.
Past studies have revealed that maintaining the health of these microorganisms requires a healthy diet. More recent research has further indicated that exercise may also have a meaningful impact on human physiology.
“There is new research out there that proves there is an interconnection with the gut microbiome and exercise. They’ve seen, in both moderate and intense exercise, that there is some change in the microbiome composition.” – Vijaya Surampudi, MD, Clinical Chief of the UCLA Center of Human Nutrition.
There are several variables that can change the makeup of microbiota in the gut. These may include infection, disease, diet or antibiotic usage. The more recent discovery is that exercise can alter gut microbiota by positively influencing energy homeostasis; a process by which the cells in the body regulate food intake, the production of energy and the expenditure of that energy.
Technology advancements are revealing that exercise, independent of diet, can influence gut flora. Cardiorespiratory fitness in longer duration or higher intensity permits additional oxygen to reach the brain and bloodstream – creating an environment conducive for the proliferation of good bacteria. Low intensity exercise, on the other hand, can impact the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) by decreasing the time it takes for food to move through the digestive tract. This is relevant to microbiome health because a healthy digestive tract also indicates that gut microbiota can efficiently perform their functions, notably turning non-digestible food components into energy.
Exercise can also lower the risk of inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer by raising antioxidant levels, fortifying the body’s immune function and decreasing insulin levels (which can cause tumor cell division and growth within the microbiome environment.)
Optimizing Gut Health by Balancing Diet and Exercise
Though exercise may have an advantageous impact on gut health, the microbiome won’t be entirely optimized unless exercise is combined with a healthy diet. The two disciplines complement each other to support overall health, as well as your microbiome. If your body is given nutrient-dense/anti-inflammatory foods and you follow a healthy workout regimen, your body will have what it needs to maximize all bodily functions and strengthen the immune system.
Did You Know? The gut microbiome can also influence your desire to work out. In a recent NIH study, researchers utilized antibiotics to destroy gut microbes in one group of mice while the second group received no antibiotics. The scientists measured how long it took each group to exhaust themselves on a mouse wheel and found that the microbiome-depleted mice became tired much more rapidly spent less time on the wheel exercising.
The authors believe that each group of mice was motivated for their actions based on dopamine levels in the brain. Dopamine provides a sense of “reward” – in this case, for running on the wheel. Researchers say that while results of these tests are promising, they need to be tested in humans.
All that said, most people intuitively understand that balancing diet and exercise in healthy ways will improve overall well-being. While each provides benefits on its own, combining the two provides the best health outcomes.
Longevity Wellness Clinic helps women to better understand their bodies and to holistically achieve new levels of health and wellness.