Effects of Probiotic (Bacillus subtilis) Supplementation During Offseason Resistance Training in Female Division I Athletes.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine the effects of probiotic (Bacillus subtilis) supplementation on physical performance and body composition during offseason resistance training in female Division I athletes.
Results Summary
Probiotic supplementation did not improve physical performance but led to greater reductions in body fat percentage compared to placebo. No other significant group differences were observed in strength or performance metrics.
Population
Female Division I soccer and volleyball players (n=23, aged 19.6 ± 1.0 years).
Effective Dosage
5 billion CFU/day of Bacillus subtilis (DE111).
Duration
10 weeks.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
probiotic (Bacillus subtilis) supplementation | no change | physical performance | female Division I soccer and volleyball players | no significant change | had no effect | #1 |
probiotic (Bacillus subtilis) supplementation | increase | body composition | female Division I soccer and volleyball players | - | may improve | #2 |
probiotic (Bacillus subtilis) supplementation | decrease | body fat % | female Division I athletes | -2.05 ± 1.38% | greater reductions were observed | #3 |
placebo supplementation | decrease | body fat % | female Division I athletes | -0.2 ± 1.6% | reductions were observed | #4 |
10-week resistance training program | increase | squat 1RM | female Division I athletes | - | improved | #5 |
10-week resistance training program | increase | deadlift 1RM | female Division I athletes | - | improved | #6 |
10-week resistance training program | increase | bench press 1RM | female Division I athletes | - | improved | #7 |
10-week resistance training program | increase | vertical jump | female Division I athletes | - | improved | #8 |
10-week resistance training program | increase | rectus femoris muscle thickness | female Division I athletes | - | improved | #9 |
10-week resistance training program | decrease | body fat % | female Division I athletes | - | improved | #10 |
Toohey, JC, Townsend, JR, Johnson, SB, Toy, AM, Vantrease, WC, Bender, D, Crimi, CC, Stowers, KL, Ruiz, MD, VanDusseldorp, TA, Feito, Y, and Mangine, GT. Effects of probiotic (Bacillus subtilis) supplementation during offseason resistance training in female Division I athletes. J Strength Cond Res 34(11): 3173-3181, 2020-We examined the effects of probiotic (Bacillus subtilis) supplementation during offseason training in collegiate athletes. Twenty-three Division I female athletes (19.6 ± 1.0 years, 67.5 ± 7.4 kg, and 170.6 ± 6.8 cm) participated in this study and were randomized into either a probiotic (n = 11; DE111) or placebo (n = 12; PL) group while counterbalancing groups for sport. Athletes completed a 10-week resistance training program during the offseason, which consisted of 3-4 workouts per week of upper- and lower-body exercises and sport-specific training. Athletes consumed DE111 (DE111; 5 billion CFU/day) or PL supplement daily for the entire 10-week program. Before and after training, all athletes underwent 1 repetition maximum (1RM) strength testing (squat, deadlift, and bench press), performance testing (vertical jump and pro-agility), and isometric midthigh pull testing. Body composition (body fat [BF]%) was completed using BODPOD and bioelectrical impedance analysis, as well as muscle thickness (MT) measurement of the rectus femoris (RF) and vastus lateralis using ultrasonography. Separate repeated-measures analyses of variance were used to analyze all data. Significant (p ≤ 0.05) main effects for time were observed for improved squat 1RM, deadlift 1RM, bench press 1RM, vertical jump, RF MT, and BF%. Of these, a significant group × time interaction was noted for BF% (p = 0.015), where greater reductions were observed in DE111 (-2.05 ± 1.38%) compared with PL (-0.2 ± 1.6%). No other group differences were observed. These data suggest that probiotic consumption in conjunction with post-workout nutrition had no effect on physical performance but may improve body composition in female Division I soccer and volleyball players after offseason training.