Probiotic with Protein May Reduce Muscle Damage, Enhance Recovery

Photo © iStockphoto.com

New study results shared by probiotics firm Ganeden (Cleveland) indicate its Ganeden BC30 (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086) probiotic may be an effective partner to casein protein at delivering certain sports-related benefits. Compared to casein protein alone, the combination of Ganeden BC30 and casein protein was found to be more effective at significantly increasing recovery, reducing indices of muscle damage, and maintaining physical performance following damaging exercise.

The newly published trial-the 24^th peer-reviewed and published study of Ganeden BC30-is “the first study of a probiotic showing ergogenic effects in athletes, with results benefiting the sports nutrition and protein functional food and beverage categories,” according to Ganeden.

Writing in PeerJ, researchers assessed the effect of the probiotic and protein combination in 29 recreationally-trained men. After two weeks of supplementation, study subjects participated in a damaging exercise bout with a subsequent analysis of perceptional measures, athletic performance, and muscle damage.

“Ganeden BC30 with just 20 grams of protein was able to protect the muscle from damage as shown by perceptual measures and blood work, resulting in improvement in five protein utilization end points: decreased recovery time, decreased soreness, reduced swelling, increased power, and decreased blood kinase,” Ganeden explained in the study announcement.

Also in the announcement, Ganeden noted that initial findings of a separate study suggest Ganeden BC30 may enhance the utilization of vitamins and minerals, including calcium, iron, vitamin B2, vitamin B5, and vitamin B12. Ganeden plans to share additional findings of that study soon.

“We put an extensive amount of focus on the research and science behind our probiotic ingredients and since probiotic benefits are strain specific, we take pride in the impressive results that Ganeden BC30 shows consistently in these studies,” said Mike Bush, president of Ganeden. “Our goal is to provide a high-quality and science-backed strain for our customers to formulate with, and we will continue providing research that helps solidify Ganeden as a probiotic leader.”

Study Details

The new crossover, diet-controlled study including 29 men with a mean age of 21.5 +/- 2.8 who consumed either 20 g of casein alone or 20 g of casein plus 1 billion CFUs of Ganeden BC30. At the end of the two-week supplementation period, participants engaged in a damaging, single-leg exercise bout, with researchers analyzing subsequent athletic performance, muscle damage, and participant perceptional measures.

Compared to casein alone, casein plus probiotics was found to significantly increase recovery at 24 and 72 hours after exercise and decrease soreness at 72 hours after exercise. The probiotics and casein group also displayed a trend toward reduced muscle damage and maintained athletic performance in subsequent exercises. Compare that to the casein-only administration, after which participants experienced a significant reduction of athletic performance following the damaging exercise bout.

“In conclusion, the probiotic supplement tended to protect the muscle from damage and may have helped recovery of physical performance,” researchers concluded.

Read more:

Avocado Smoothies Are the Next Category for Probiotics

Probiotics Promote Weight Loss, BMI Reduction, Study Says

IFT Report: Cocoa and Probiotics Getting In on High-Protein Trend

Michael Crane
Associate Editor
Nutritional Outlook Magazine
michael.crane@ubm.com

References:

Jäger R et al., “Probiotic Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 reduces exercise-induced muscle damage and increases recovery,” PeerJ. Published online July 21, 2016.