Effects of Low-Carbohydrate Diet and Exercise Training on Gut Microbiota
Shengyan Sun, On Kei Lei, Jinlei Nie, Qingde Shi, Yuming Xu, Zhaowei Kong
Abstract
Objective This study was aimed to evaluate the effects of low-carbohydrate diet (LC) and incorporated high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on gut microbiota, and the associations between changes in gut microbiota and cardiometabolic health-related profiles. Methods Fifty overweight/obese Chinese females (age 22.2 ± 3.3 years, body mass index 25.1 ± 3.1 kg/m –2 ) were randomized to the groups of LC, LC and HIIT (LC-HIIT, 10 repetitions of 6-s sprints and 9-s rest), and LC and MICT group (LC-MICT, cycling at 50–60% V̇O 2peak for 30 min). The LC-HIIT and LC-MICT experienced 20 training sessions over 4 weeks. Results The 4-week LC intervention with/without additional training failed to change the Shannon, Chao 1, and Simpson indexes ( p > 0.05), LC increased Phascolarctobacterium genus, and LC-HIIT reduced Bifidobacterium genus after intervention ( p < 0.05). Groups with extra exercise training increased short-chain fatty acid-producing Blautia genus ( p < 0.05) and reduced type 2 diabetes-related genus Alistipes ( p < 0.05) compared to LC. Sutterella ( r = −0.335) and Enterobacter ( r = 0.334) were associated with changes in body composition ( p < 0.05). Changes in Ruminococcus , Eubacterium , and Roseburia genera were positively associated with blood pressure (BP) changes ( r = 0.392–0.445, p < 0.05), whereas the changes in Bacteroides , Faecalibacterium , and Parabacteroides genera were negatively associated with BP changes ( r = −0.567 to −0.362, p < 0.05). Conclusion LC intervention did not change the α-diversity and overall structure of gut microbiota. Combining LC with exercise training may have additional benefits on gut physiology. Specific microbial genera were associated with LC- and exercise-induced regulation of cardiometabolic health.