Health Parameters in Soccer Players and Sedentary Individuals After Consuming a Synbiotic

Catholic University of Murcia27 enrolled

Overview

The main objective of this research was to carry out an experimental study, triple blind, on the possible immunophysiological effects of a nutritional supplement (Synbiotic, Gasteel Plus®, Heel España S.A.U.), containing a mixture of probiotic strains, such as Bifidobacterium lactis CBP-001010, Lactobacillus rhamnosus CNCM I-4036, Bifidobacterium longum ES1, as well as prebi-otic fructooligosaccharides, in both professional athletes and sedentary people. The effects on some inflammatory/immune (IL-1β, IL-10, and immunoglobulin A) and stress (epinephrine, nore-pinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, CRH, ACTH, and cortisol) biomarkers were evaluated, determined by flow cytometer and ELISA. The effects on metabolic profile and physical activity, as well as on various parameters that could affect physical and mental health, were also evaluated via the use of accelerometry and validated questionnaires.

This investigation was a triple blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study designed to identify the possible differing effects of the synbiotic Gasteel Plus® supplementation. The participants were professional soccer players of the Second Division B of the Spanish League and sedentary students of the same sex and age range. Both study groups were randomly divided into two groups: a control group administered with placebo, and an experimental group administered with the synbiotic. Each participant was evaluated at baseline, as well as after the intervention which lasted one month. Only in the athletes group did the synbiotic intervention clearly improve objective physical activ-ity and sleep quality, as well as perceived general health, stress, and anxiety levels.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

TRIPLE

Enrollment

Interventions

Synbiotic complementDIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

On two separate days, the "baseline-tests" and "final-tests" were conducted. All participants performed a series of tests, before which they had to fast. The order and schedule (8 am) of the tests was the same for the "final-test" and the same materials and procedures were used. A period of 30 consecutive days elapsed between the base-line and final tests, during which the participants had to ingest their supplement (synbiotic).

PlaceboDIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Objective determination of levels of physical activity, sedentary lifestyle and sleep quality: accelerometry

Participants wore the accelerometer held with an elastic band on the non-dominant wrist for 7 consecutive days and without interruption, except for those times of the day in which the correct operation of the device could be compromised (showers or any activity related to wa-ter). Subsequently, the files generated by the accelerometer were analyzed through a specific software called Actilife 6 (Actigraph, Pensacola, USA).

Time frame: During 7 days before the ingestion of the synbiotic or placebo

Objective determination of levels of physical activity, sedentary lifestyle and sleep quality: accelerometry

Time frame: During 7 days after the ingestion of the synbiotic or placebo

Questionnarie about general health.

SF-36 Questionnaire: Scale from 0 to 100. Higher scores mean a better outcome.