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PREBIOTICS
Nondigestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the body
by selectively stimulating the growth and activity of bacteria in
the colon are defined as prebiotics. Compared with probiotics,
prebiotics stimulate the preferential growth of a limited number
of health-producing commensal flora already residing in the
colon (5,14). However, further studies need to be conducted
before prebiotics can be recommended as a food additive or
dietary supplement (4).
Maintaining balance and overall health of the digestive system is
imperative to optimal bodily function. A well-planned diet that
includes the nutrients listed previously will help optimize the
body’s response to training, prevent health issues, and maintain
gastrointestinal wellbeing.
REFERENCES
1. Bäckhed, F, Ding, H, Wang, T, et al. The gut microbiota as an
environmental factor that regulates fat storage. Proc Natl Acad Sci
USA 101(44): 15718-15723, 2004.
2. Björkstén, B, Sepp, E, Julge, K, Voor, T, and Mikelsaar, M.
Allergy development and the intestinal microflora during the first
year of life. J Allergy Clin Immunol 108(4): 516-520, 2001.
12. Musso, G, Gambino, R, and Cassader, M. Obesity, diabetes, and
gut microbiota the hygiene hypothesis expanded? Dia Care 33(10):
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13. O’Hara, AM, and Shanahan, F. The gut flora as a forgotten
organ. EMBO Rep 7(7): 688-693, 2006.
14. Roberfroid, MB. Prebiotics: Preferential substrates for specific
germs? American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 73(suppl): S406409, 2001.
15. Sears, CL. A dynamic partnership: Celebrating our gut flora.
Anaerobe 11(5): 247-251, 2005.
16. Spreadbury, I. Comparison with ancestral diets suggests dense
a cellular carbohydrates promote an inflammatory microbiota, and
may be the primary dietary cause of leptin resistance and obesity.
Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes 5: 175-189, 2012.
17. Suzuki, K, Simpson, KA, Minnion, JS. The role of gut hormones
and the hypothalamus in appetite regulation. Endor J 57(5): 359372, 2010.
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BS, and Lunn, PG. Innate immunity, gut integrity, and vitamin A in
Gambian and Indian infants. J Infect Dis 182(suppl): S23-28, 2000.
3. Burcelin, R. Regulation of metabolism: A cross talk between
gut microbiota and its human host. Physiology 27(5): 300-307,
2012.
19. Turnbaugh, PJ, Ley, RE, Mahowald, MA, Magrini, V, Mardis,
ER, and Gordon, JI. An obesity-associated gut microbiome with
increased capacity for energy harvest. Nature 444(7122): 10271031, 2006.
4. Cummings, JH, Macfarlane, GT, and Englyst, HN. Prebiotic
digestion and fermentation. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
73(suppl): S415-420, 2001.
20. United States Department of Agriculture. Agricultural
Research Service: National Nutrient Database for Standard
Reference. 2014. Accessed April 2014 from, www.ars.usda.gov.
5. Duggan, C, Gannon, J, and Walker, WA. Review article:
Protective nutrients and functional foods for the gastrointestinal
tract. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 75(5): 789-808, 2002.
6. Guarner, F, and Malagelada, JR. Gut flora in health and
disease. The Lancet 361(9356): 512-519, 2003.
7. Hugot, JP. Inflammatory bowel disease: A complex group of
genetic disorders. Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol 18(3): 451-462,
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8. Isolauri, E. Probiotics in human disease. American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition 73(suppl): S1147-1151, 2001.
9. Kuroki, T, Ohta, A, Sherriff-Tadano, R, Matsuura, E, Takashima,
T, Iwakiri, R, and Fujimoto, K. Imbalance in the stress-adaptation
system in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Biol Res Nurs
13(4): 391-398, 2011.
10. Ley, RE, Turnbaugh, PJ, Klein, S, and Gordon, JI. Microbial
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dawn Weatherwax is a Registered Dietitian with a specialty in
Sports Nutrition and is the Founder of Sports Nutrition 2Go. She
is also a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, which is
the premier professional sports nutrition credential in the United
States. In addition, she is an athletic trainer and a Certified
Strength and Conditioning Speciali 7L*