Abstrato

The use of probiotics as an alternative to address sport-related health concerns.

Eudes Anihouvi

Probiotic-based foods have been highlighted over the years now as a valuable alternative to address various health concerns. In sports, it is know that athletes may be at risk of various disorders as a result of an exhaustive training load, exercise intensity, travel, inadequate rest and poor nutrition. Indeed, athletes with prolonged intense exercise may be more susceptible to various disorders such as oxidative stress, immunodepression and upper respiratory tract illness (URTI), compared with individuals participating in moderate or no exercise. These situations led to a growing interest on looking for strategies to prevent these conditions from affecting sport performance. In this context, probiotic supplementation has gained special attention because of evidence of a beneficial effect on respiratory and gastrointestinal tract symptoms. This review, focuses on the use of probiotic- based food to improve appearance, address health concerns and therefore improve sport performance.