The Effect of Daily Supplementation With Humiome® Post LB on Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Female Athletes
This research is looking into how a specific type of food supplement, called a postbiotic, affects tummy problems in female athletes. Many female athletes experience digestive issues like bloating, discomfort, and irregular bowel movements, which can be made worse during exercise or different parts of their menstrual cycle. These symptoms can really affect their training and performance. The study aims to see if taking this postbiotic supplement daily can help reduce these tummy troubles. We will compare it to a 'dummy pill' (placebo) to find out if the supplement makes a real difference. The goal is to better understand how to support female athletes and their digestive health, helping them train and perform at their best.
At a glance
What is this study about?
You know how important it is to feel good to perform your best, whether that's in sports or just in daily life. For female athletes, tummy troubles like bloating, discomfort, and irregular bowel movements are quite common. These issues can get even worse during tough workouts or at certain times in their menstrual cycle. This can make training difficult and really impact how well they perform. While there's some information about how male and female bodies differ, we don't know much about how these differences affect a female athlete's gut during exercise, especially throughout her monthly cycle.
Often, when people have these tummy problems, they might take pain relievers, but we need to think about longer-term solutions. This study is exploring a new approach using a postbiotic supplement. You might have heard of probiotics, which are live good bacteria. Postbiotics are similar, but they come from good bacteria that are no longer alive. They work by helping to improve the balance of 'good' and 'bad' bugs in your gut and can strengthen your gut lining, which stops unwanted substances from getting into your body.
We want to find out if taking this postbiotic supplement can actually reduce these tummy discomforts for female athletes, particularly those linked to their menstrual cycle and exercise. We will compare its effects to a 'placebo', which is a pill that looks the same but contains no active ingredient. This helps us see if any improvements are truly due to the postbiotic. The hope is to find a safe and effective way to help female athletes manage their digestive health, so they can focus on their training and achieve their goals without constant tummy worries.
Key takeaways
- Aims to help female athletes with exercise and period-related tummy troubles.
- Tests a postbiotic supplement to improve gut health.
- Compares the supplement to a placebo (dummy pill).
- Focuses on understanding and supporting female athletic health.
- Participation involves taking a daily supplement and tracking symptoms.
- You won't know if you're taking the actual supplement or the placebo.
Who may be eligible?
This study is looking for women who are at least 18 years old and in good health. You should be a cisgender woman (meaning your gender identity matches your sex assigned at birth) and still having regular periods without using hormonal contraception like the pill, patch, or injection.
To be considered, you need to be an active athlete who trains at least three times a week for more than an hour each time, and you should have been doing endurance training for at least two years. It's important that you regularly experience tummy troubles during exercise, and ideally, also during your period. We'll check this with a short questionnaire before you start.
Your body mass index (BMI) needs to be between 18.5 and 24.9. You'll also need to commit to keeping your diet and exercise habits the same throughout the study. Unfortunately, if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, smoke, vape, or are currently in another study, you won't be able to take part.
- Are you a cisgender woman, aged 18 or over?
- Do you have regular menstrual periods without using hormonal contraception?
- Are you an endurance athlete training at least 3 hours a week for 2+ years?
- Do you regularly get tummy troubles during exercise or your period?
- Is your BMI between 18.5 and 24.9?
- Are you willing to maintain your current lifestyle habits during the study?
This is a guide only — the research team will confirm whether you can take part.
What does participation involve?
If you join this study, you'll be asked to take either the postbiotic supplement or a dummy pill every day for a set period. We won't know which one you're taking, and neither will you. You'll need to keep track of your training and health using apps, and you'll also be asked to answer questions about your digestive symptoms regularly. There will be specific visits to assess your health and how you're feeling. The study involves keeping your lifestyle habits (like diet and exercise) consistent throughout. We can't give you the exact total length of the study from the information provided, but it will involve daily supplement intake and regular check-ins over a period.
Potential risks and benefits
Locations (1)
- Liverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpool, United Kingdom
Common questions
What is a postbiotic?
A postbiotic is a special substance made by good bacteria that are no longer alive. It helps support your gut health and can strengthen your gut's protective lining.
Why are you studying only female athletes?
Female athletes often experience unique digestive challenges, especially during exercise and their menstrual cycle, which haven't been studied much. We want to find ways to specifically help them.
Will I know if I'm taking the real supplement or the dummy pill?
No, this is a 'blinded' study, meaning neither you nor the research team will know who is getting the postbiotic and who is getting the dummy pill until after the study is over. This helps ensure fair results.
What kind of tummy problems are you looking at?
We're interested in common issues like bloating, stomach discomfort, and changes in bowel movements, especially when linked to exercise or your menstrual period.
Could this study change my daily routine?
You'll be asked to maintain your usual diet and exercise habits during the study, and to take a daily supplement. You'll also need to regularly track your symptoms and training.
How to find out more
Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.
Interested in taking part?
Discussion
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