Exercise Impacts on Gut Microbiota and Metabolism
Summary
Regular physical exercise exerts profound effects on the composition, diversity and function of the gut microbiota, with consequential impacts on host metabolism. Mechanical contraction of skeletal muscle stimulates the release of myokines, which communicate with intestinal tissues and resident microbes to modulate immunological and metabolic pathways. Exercise fosters a more diverse microbial ecosystem, enhancing the production of beneficial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, supporting energy homeostasis and reinforcing gut barrier integrity. Conversely, extreme or prolonged exertion can transiently increase intestinal permeability but may be mitigated by adaptive microbial and host responses. Interindividual variability in microbial communities and exercise regimens underlines the complexity of the exercise–gut axis, yet emerging omics technologies are shedding light on functional traits that link microbial shifts to improvements in metabolic regulation, inflammatory status and overall health. This interplay holds promise for targeted interventions in metabolic and gastrointestinal disorders and for optimising athletic performance through microbiome modulation.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Exercise Impacts on Gut Microbiota and Metabolism publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in exercise impacts on gut microbiota and metabolism across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Gut microbiota: The community of microorganisms residing in the gastrointestinal tract.
Myokines: Signalling proteins released by skeletal muscles during contraction that influence distant organs and tissues.
Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs): Primary metabolites produced by bacterial fermentation of dietary fibres, important for gut barrier function and energy metabolism.
Metabolome: The complete set of small-molecule metabolites found within a biological sample, reflecting functional activity of host and microbes.
Intestinal permeability: The property of the gut lining that regulates passage of substances between the lumen and bloodstream, often referred to as “gut barrier integrity.”
References
- Exercise, the Gut Microbiome and Gastrointestinal Diseases: Therapeutic Impact and Molecular Mechanisms. Gastroenterology (2025).
- Microbiota influences host exercise capacity via modulation of skeletal muscle glucose metabolism in mice. Experimental & Molecular Medicine (2023).
- The human gut microbiome of athletes: metagenomic and metabolic insights. Microbiome (2023).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.