The Ultra-marathon Endurance Study
Efficacy of Lab4 probiotics in the Marathon des Sables
SUMMARY
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of chronic probiotic supplementation before and after an ultra-marathon.
Results showed supplementation with Lab4 probiotics resulted in 12% reduction in runners’ completion time during the ultra-marathon race.
Aim
This study aimed to assess the effect of a 12-week probiotic supplementation on race time and extracellular heat shock protein response to a multi-day ultra-endurance exercise event.
Method
Results
Race times
- The completion time in Group 2 (Lab4) was reduced by 5 h and 36 min compared to Group 1 (12% reduction; 2819 min in Group 1 vs. 2481 min in Group 2, Figure 1).
- The completion time with a lower dose of probiotics (Group 3) was reduced by 4 h and 9 min compared to Group 1 (9% reduction; 2819 min in Group 1 vs. 2570 min in Group 3, Figure 2).
Extracellular heat shock protein (eHsp72)
Conclusion
Lab4 probiotic supplementation improved the runners’ completion time during the ultra-marathon.
Reference
Marshall H et al 2017. Chronic probiotic supplementation with or without glutamine does not influence the eHsp72 response to a multi-day ultra-endurance exercise event. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 42(8): 876-883.
