Is there a perfect diet for athletes? Is it keto, plant-based, high carb or low carb? Is there a science to eating in a manner that can improve your performance without sacrificing other health markers such as cardiovascular or mental health? These are questions that have plagued athletes and researchers for decades, and science might finally be closing in on an answer. A 2020 review article published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition titled The Athletic Gut is one of many positing the idea that the connection between your diet and your performance largely comes down to the health of your microbiome.
Inside your body lives a vast society consisting of trillions of microorganisms, collectively known as your microbiome. These microorganisms include bacteria, viruses, fungi and even parasites. Most of these bacteria live in your gut, and according to The Harvard School of Public Health, the functions of your microbiome include stimulating your immune system, breaking down potentially toxic food compounds and synthesizing certain vitamins and amino acids, which can which can only be done via enzymes that only exist in certain bacteria.
