Original title: The Effects of Multi-Strain Probiotic SLAB51 Intake on Aerobic Performance and Oxidative Stress Responses in Elite Athletes: A Randomized Crossover Trial
Sang-Yong Lee, 김세화, Jae-Hyeon Park, Hyo-Jun Yun +1 · October 2026
Elite athletes took a multi-strain probiotic called SLAB51 or a fake pill for one week each. Researchers then tested their endurance on a treadmill. Athletes who took the probiotic ran about thirty-three seconds longer before exhaustion. They also kept going longer during high-intensity breathing and had higher levels of a protective antioxidant enzyme before exercise. The supplement did not change their peak oxygen use or how fast they cleared lactate.
A runner carries a wet sponge during a hot summer race to wipe away sweat and stay cool. As the race heats up, the body produces heat faster than it can shed it, eventually forcing the runner to slow down. Here, researchers checked whether giving the body an internal cleanup boost could help it tolerate intense effort just a bit longer. The athletes did not suddenly gain bigger lungs, but their bodies managed the physical strain well enough to hold out for thirty extra seconds.
Elite athletes constantly search for safe ways to push endurance just a little further. This test shows that altering gut microbes with a probiotic supplement can modestly stretch treadmill run time and boost certain antioxidant defenses. It points to a direct connection between gut bacteria and high-intensity stamina.
The abstract does not report participant counts, athlete demographics, or specific sports. The trial only followed participants for one week of intake, leaving long-term outcomes unstudied. In addition, the probiotic produced no significant improvements in maximal oxygen uptake, blood lactate clearance, or malondialdehyde levels.
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The Effects of Multi-Strain Probiotic SLAB51 Intake on Aerobic Performance and Oxidative Stress Responses in Elite Athletes: A Randomized Crossover Trial — Sang-Yong Lee, 김세화, Jae-Hyeon Park et al. — Nutrients — doi:10.3390/nu18193299
Abstract licence: CC BY
Explanation generated by Synthesis from the abstract — it is not the original paper.