Developing a physical activity strategy to improve gut microbiota

• Project/Area Number: 18K17742
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59010:Rehabilitation science-related
• Research Institution: Hyogo University of Health Sciences
• Principal Investigator: MIYAMOTO TOSHIAKI 兵庫医療大学, リハビリテーション学部, 准教授 (30709340)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2021)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000); Fiscal Year 2020: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000)
• Keywords: 腸内細菌叢 / 身体活動 / 運動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Aim: The purpose of this study was to identify the prescription of physical activity that could change the composition of the gut microbiota in a Japanese population.
Methods: In this study, a randomized crossover controlled trial was carried out on 30 healthy young adult men (20.7 averaged years old). Participants underwent both a 6-week control trial and a 6-week moderate-intensity physical activity trial (INT). Ex consisted of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week (50-minute exercise by three sessions per week), and the gut microbiota was evaluated before and after each trial.
Result: It was found that six weeks of Ex significantly reduced the Proteobacteria phylum (Bilophia and Parasutterella Genuses).

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

腸内に存在する細菌の種類や数は非常に多く、その構成が様々な疾患の要因になり得ることが報告されている。腸内細菌の構成は食事の影響を多分に受けるが、同じ生活習慣の範疇である身体活動が腸内細菌に及ぼす影響は完全には明らかになっていなかった。
本研究では、日本人の食生活で形成された腸内細菌であっても、中強度の身体活動を週に150分実施すれば腸内細菌の構成を変化させ得ることを明らかにした。本研究結果は、本邦における健康増進・疾病予防の戦略構築において重要であるものと思われる。