the musculoskeletal system) and compared with the number of studies in clinical conditions (e.g. Comparatively less research has been conducted on GI structure and function in athletes compared with other physiological systems (e.g. Despite the size and multitude of functions of the GI tract, it has rarely been thought of as an athletic organ. This gut microbiome can be manipulated, for better or worse, through many everyday activities including diet, exercise, and antibiotics (Dalton, Mermier, & Zuhl, 2019). For example, evidence has shown that the GI microbiome contributes to our immune function, regulates systemic levels of inflammation, and it has even been suggested to affect higher cognitive functions via the gut–brain axis (Eisenstein, 2016). However, the GI tract has also been shown to have wider-reaching physiological effects. Adequate macro- and micro-nutrients must be consumed and, subsequently, digested and absorbed in order to maintain health and athletic performance. The canonical role of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is digestion and absorption. in immune function) may be, at least in part, influenced by such GI related differences. Many of the male-female differences seen (e.g. The links between female microbiome, oestrogen, and systemic physiological and biological processes are yet to be fully elucidated. There are both clear similarities and differences in male-female gastrointestinal structure and function.įemales typically reported a greater prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms at rest, in particular during menstruation, but not during exercise. The magnitude of such effects and relationships is currently unknown but there is enough mechanistic data for future studies to consider a more central role that the gastrointestinal tract may play in overall female athlete health. Some of these areas include immune function and risk of illness, sleep, hormones, bone health and the gut–brain–axis. We then move beyond the gut to discuss wider biological processes that have been shown to have both sex-related differences and that are impacted by the GI system. We also discuss GI-related symptoms experienced by athletes, highlight the differences in incidence between males and females, and discuss contributing factors. In the current review, we discuss localised issues including the GI structure, function, and microbiome of male and females. The wider impact of the GI system has begun to be realised and it is now widely acknowledged to play a role in more systemic bodily systems.
![git it sports nutrition git it sports nutrition](https://img.simplerousercontent.net/scaled_image/4185342/227ab54d25c2a56fda95a9e1ed6f04327a9108a7/13-600w-600h.jpg)
While sex-derived differences in GI structure and function have been well characterised at rest, there remains a paucity of data examining this during exercise. Gut function is of pivotal importance to athletes in that it supports digestion and absorption of nutrients, as well as providing a barrier between the external environment and the circulation. As with much of science, the female athlete is under researched, particularly in the area of gastrointestinal (GI) physiology.