Performance enhancement in all aspects of the function of the body has long been a dream of mankind. Who has not thought of the possibility of connecting our brain to a computer or inserting a chip in the brain to enhance our thinking, processing, or storage capacity with the option of instant recall? But perhaps the most common word that one thing of when speaking of performance enhancement are either sports or sexual function.

Sports have long been tainted with issues of enhancing drugs though now banned internationally. These agents improve the ability of the user to perform intensive physical activities up and above one’s natural capacity.

Recently the discovery of a strain of bacteria that is a part of the athlete’s natural microbiome has probably sent shockwaves throughout the community. It was found that natural bacteria found in our gut is able to enhance one’s metabolism and thus improve performance symbiotically.

Bacteria or rather our microbiome has the ability to make us or break us. Generally, if we take good care of it would appear we remain more or less healthy. However, it is not yet known if the disease alters the microbiome or if the microbiome results in the disease. It was not known if the members of the microbiome could enhance us. Turns out they do.

 

Meet Veillonella.

Veillonella is a genus of bacteria that is found in high quantity the guts of active people. When I say active I mean crazy active. such as athletes.

Since athletes work out on a daily basis on a professional level, they produce a lot of lactic acid which is the metabolic by-product of the metabolism of glucose in the muscles.

High level of daily activity produces a lot of this lactate which is circulated in the blood. The blood carries it to our intestine (note the interesting point here), from the blood it crosses into the epithelial cells of our intestines and is used by the Veillonella bacteria which processes it, releasing Propionate.  This is a fatty acid which is then absorbed and circulated back to the muscles, which enhances performance. The utilization of the lactate by the gut bacteria is minuscule but the symbiotic relationship that exists is marvellous and not documented previously. Lactate is the sole source of carbon for this bacterium and it was identified that continuous strenuous activity causes a rise in the level of this bacteria in the gut. I would like to note here that this finding indicates that activity or our actions are possibly causing the selection of beneficial bacteria to proliferate to our benefit or disadvantage to our body and not the other way around.

It would be interesting if this bacterial could be used in to help patients with certain diseases in the future. Where in the propionate produced could help in maintaining muscle mass? Of course, this is a long journey ahead. However, this discovery provides a new direction in the field of sports science.

 

References:

 

1) Meta-omics analysis of elite athletes identifies a performance-enhancing microbe that functions via lactate metabolism