Multi-strain probiotic combined with dietary fiber is an effective factor in the nutritional support of immunity in athletes

Abstract

A priority in the prevention and correction o f immune disorders in athletes is the use o fproducts with high nutrient density, fortified with various nutrients or bioactive compounds, as well as probiotic microorganisms. Probiotics help to maintain the gut microbiota, which is actively involved in the absorption o fsubstances and energy and increases the host immune resistance. Dietary fiber, resistant to digestion in the small intestine, is fully orpartially fermented in the large intestine and acts as an essential substrate for the growth and regulation o f metabolic activity o f normalflora, improves peristalsis and digestion. The purpose o f the study was to evaluate the impact o fa multi-strainprobiotic in combination with dietaryfiber on the immune status o f basketball athletes during the training period. M aterial and methods. The study was conducted with the participation o f 30 male basketball athletes aged 18 to 24 years. The athletes were randomly divided into 2 groups o f 15 people. Athletes in the main group received 1 capsule o f multi-strain probiotic *10 (>1.25 10 CFU o f 10 probiotic strains o f bifidobacteria and lactobacilli) and 40 g o f com bran (as a source o f dietary fiber) for 23 days. Athletes in the control group received 1 placebo capsule containing maltodextrin and breadcrumbs (40 g/day). Subpopulations o f peripheral blood lymphocytes were studied by flow cytometry: T lymphocytes, T helper cells, T cytotoxic lymphocytes, NK cells, NKT cells, В lymphocytes, as well as lymphocytes carrying activation markers and apoptosis marker antigen. The content o f cytokines in blood serum [FGF, Eotaxin, G-CSF, GM-CSF, IFN-y, IL-1ra, IL-1P, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-9, IL-10, IL-12(p70), IL-13, IL-15, IL-17A, MCP-1, MIP-1a, MIP-10, PDGF-BB, RANTES, TNF-a, VEGF] was determined using a multiplex immunoassay. Results. Calculation o f the absolute number o f lymphocytes revealed a tendency (0.05 <0.05) in the expression o f the CD95/Fas apoptotic marker on peripheral blood lymphocytes o f athletes o f the main group compared to the beginning o f the study (41.53+5.78 vs 69.53+11.79 cells/pL). At the end o f the study, a significant increase in IL-9 level was found in the control group [(Me; min-max) = (0.33; 0.21-0.48) vs (0.26; 0.09-0.38) pg/ml; p<0.05; in comparison with the initial indicator]; as well as the tendency (0.05 <0.05]. At the end o f the observation period, blood serum levels o f FGF, G-CSF, IL-13, IL-2 and RANTES in the athletes o f the control group exceeded these indicators in the athletes o f the main group whereas no significant differences in the studied cytokines were detected between the control and the main groups at the beginning o f the study. Conclusion. The results o f observation o f basketball athletes who consumed a multi-strain probiotic in combination with corn bran (sources o f arabinoxylans) in addition to the main diet for 23 days indicate a decrease in the inflammatory process activity and peripheral blood lymphocyte apoptosis, which confirms the effectiveness o fprobiotics and dietary fiber in sports nutrition.