According to data from a recent study, it would appear that certain intestinal bacteria are responsible for an increase in the desire to exercise. Will it really be like this?
After closely “observing” sleeping bacteria with one eye open, new research has been published in the prestigious journal natures and conducted by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, focused attention on the physical performance of mice. These were then compared in relation to both the time spent each day voluntarily running on a wheel, and their physical resistance to effort.
The results obtained were then related to various elements: the sequencing of the genome of each animal, the composition of your intestinal microbiota (ie the set of bacteria useful for the body) and the presence of particular substances in the bloodstream.
From the data it clearly emerges, with great amazement, that the different physical performances between one mouse and another can only be explained in a minimal percentage by the DNA, since intestinal bacteria play an essential role. When the guys were in fact administered a broad-spectrum antibiotic that literally wiped out the microbiota, their running performance even halved.
If the data were also confirmed in humans, taking into consideration that physical activity helps fight depression or some addictions, new ways and methodologies could be opened up, aimed at improving performance in patients.
