Are gut bacteria the secret to qualifying for Kona?

This October, researchers from all over the world will be teaming up for a first-of-a-kind study on probiotics and the gut microbiome of triathletes at the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.

The highly competitive field combined with the gruelling conditions on the Pacific island of Hawaii will serve as the perfect venue for this project, which is being led by scientists from Liverpool John Moores, Georgia Southern University, and The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

How hot can it get at the Ironman World Championship?

Widely regarded as one of the toughest triathlons on the planet, the Ironman Worlds sees the world’s top long-distance triathletes competing in temperatures that can exceed 40°C (104°F) on certain parts of the course, and in sometimes 90% humidity.

These unique conditions will enable the researchers to examine the relationship between exercise and the gut microbiome at the peak of physiological extremes.

• How does endurance sport affect your digestive system?

Are gut bacteria the secret to qualifying for the Ironman World Championship?

By examining how the gut microbiota respond to such a stimulus, how this response is influenced by probiotic supplementation, and the relationship between our gut microbiota and race performance and GI distress, this study will answer a number of important questions that will be essential in optimising human performance, and possibly your future spot in Kona.

Our digestive tract contains ~40 trillion bacteria (also known as our gut microbiota) that play an important role in many aspects of our health and wellbeing.

Relevant to athletes, our gut microbiota can influence race performance by regulating energy production and utilisation as well as modifying our risk for gastrointestinal distress (e.g., bloating or nausea).

How to take part in the study

If you are competing at this year’s Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, and would like to get involved, please complete this brief survey: https://forms.gle/fzntinqLBm1aKF9x7.

If you have any questions, please contact study coordinators Dr. John Molphy (J.Molphy@ljmu.ac.uk) or Dr. Greg Grosicki (ggrosicki@georgiasouthern.edu).

Top image: Nils Nilsen/Ironman via Getty Images

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Liz Barrett 220 Deputy Editor

About

220 deputy editor Liz Barrett started work on the magazine in 2007 as staff writer. Since then, she’s reported live from almost every major triathlon across the globe, including the Ironman World Championships, 70.3 Worlds, six ITU Worlds, Challenge Roth, the 2014 and 2022 Commonwealths, the London Olympics and the Rio Paralympics, to name but a few. Name a pro and chances are she’ll have interviewed them, so, unsurprisingly, she’s our go-to pro-athlete expert on the team. When not covering races, you’ll find her whipping words into finely-crafted shape for both the magazine and website.