Carbohydrate and protein ingestion imbalance and gut function in endurance athletes, a possible cause for dysbiosis?

Abstract

Microbiota is a very important ecosystem of our body and it is directly affected by our nutritional habits. The distribution of macronutrients is one important element that might be helpful or harmful to performance and quality of life of professional and amateur athletes. Athletes are always looking for ways to improve performance although their choices are not always based on science or professional advice. Carbohydrates are the main energy source of our muscles and central nervous system, to warrant the fuel supply, especially for the brain, in cases of low glucose availability, the organism uses a metabolic process that can transform amino acids in glucose, the gluconeogenesis. Carbohydrate low availability comes from the voluntary carbohydrate ingestion reduction, which is believed by the athlete to be a valid strategy to reduce body weight and to improve performance. Associated with carbohydrate reduction there is an automatic increase in protein ingestion that might, indirectly, be the cause of dysbiosis. Dysbiosis is an imbalance in the gut microbiota that negatively affects performance and health and it might be related to the urea concentration in the intestine. Urea concentration might increase due to augmented gluconeogenesis and consequent metabolization of amino acids residues. Dysbiosis is an important and harmful condition that could be avoided by maintaining a proper balance between carbohydrates and protein and the athlete population needs to be warned about that.