High-altitude mountaineering induces adaptive gut microbiome shifts associated with dietary intake and performance markers

2025
journal article
article
dc.abstract.enThis study examined how high-altitude exposure and expedition-specific dietary changes influence gut microbiome composition, functional pathways, and their relationships with performance and health markers in alpinists. Seventeen male mountaineers (age 30.29 ± 5.8 years) participating in multi-week expeditions (> 3,000 MASL) were assessed before and after their climbs. Assessments included dietary intake analysis, blood and urine biomarkers, aerobic and anaerobic performance tests, and metagenomic sequencing of the gut microbiome. Bioinformatic and statistical analyses evaluated changes in microbiome composition and function and their correlations with physiological and dietary parameters. High-altitude exposure was associated with significant shifts in gut microbial composition and functional capacity. While the total number of bacterial species and functions remained stable, the glucose degradation pathway increased post-expedition. Participants with greater microbiome shifts showed improved performance and had richer baseline microbiomes. Pre-expedition, certain microbial functions were associated with vitamin B₆ and C intake, while post-expedition correlations involved specific macronutrients and micronutrients. Additionally, some microbiome changes correlated with blood markers, indicating links to nutrient metabolism and electrolyte balance. The gut microbiome of alpinists adapts to extreme environmental stress and dietary changes, influencing metabolic, immune, and performance-related processes. Optimizing dietary strategies to support a beneficial microbiome profile may enhance resilience and performance in challenging high-altitude environments.
dc.affiliationPion Prorektora ds. nauki : Małopolskie Centrum Biotechnologii
dc.contributor.authorKarpęcka-Gałka, Ewa
dc.contributor.authorZielińska, Kinga - 483662
dc.contributor.authorFrączek, Barbara
dc.contributor.authorŁabaj, Paweł - 393494
dc.contributor.authorKościółek, Tomasz - 106890
dc.contributor.authorHumińska-Lisowska, Kinga
dc.date.accessioned2025-12-11T09:18:58Z
dc.date.available2025-12-11T09:18:58Z
dc.date.createdat2025-12-04T06:54:18Zen
dc.date.issued2025
dc.date.openaccess0
dc.description.accesstimew momencie opublikowania
dc.description.versionostateczna wersja wydawcy
dc.description.volume15
dc.identifier.articleid37529
dc.identifier.doi10.1038/s41598-025-22848-9
dc.identifier.issn2045-2322
dc.identifier.projectDRC AI
dc.identifier.urihttps://ruj.uj.edu.pl/handle/item/567372
dc.languageeng
dc.language.containereng
dc.rightsUdzielam licencji. Uznanie autorstwa 4.0 Międzynarodowa
dc.rights.licenceCC-BY
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.pl
dc.share.typeotwarte czasopismo
dc.subject.engut microbiome
dc.subject.enhigh-altitude mountaineering
dc.subject.endietary intake
dc.subject.enperformance markers
dc.subject.enmetagenomics
dc.subject.enphysiological adaptation
dc.subtypeArticle
dc.titleHigh-altitude mountaineering induces adaptive gut microbiome shifts associated with dietary intake and performance markers
dc.title.journalScientific Reports
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typePublicationen
dc.abstract.en
This study examined how high-altitude exposure and expedition-specific dietary changes influence gut microbiome composition, functional pathways, and their relationships with performance and health markers in alpinists. Seventeen male mountaineers (age 30.29 ± 5.8 years) participating in multi-week expeditions (> 3,000 MASL) were assessed before and after their climbs. Assessments included dietary intake analysis, blood and urine biomarkers, aerobic and anaerobic performance tests, and metagenomic sequencing of the gut microbiome. Bioinformatic and statistical analyses evaluated changes in microbiome composition and function and their correlations with physiological and dietary parameters. High-altitude exposure was associated with significant shifts in gut microbial composition and functional capacity. While the total number of bacterial species and functions remained stable, the glucose degradation pathway increased post-expedition. Participants with greater microbiome shifts showed improved performance and had richer baseline microbiomes. Pre-expedition, certain microbial functions were associated with vitamin B₆ and C intake, while post-expedition correlations involved specific macronutrients and micronutrients. Additionally, some microbiome changes correlated with blood markers, indicating links to nutrient metabolism and electrolyte balance. The gut microbiome of alpinists adapts to extreme environmental stress and dietary changes, influencing metabolic, immune, and performance-related processes. Optimizing dietary strategies to support a beneficial microbiome profile may enhance resilience and performance in challenging high-altitude environments.
dc.affiliation
Pion Prorektora ds. nauki : Małopolskie Centrum Biotechnologii
dc.contributor.author
Karpęcka-Gałka, Ewa
dc.contributor.author
Zielińska, Kinga - 483662
dc.contributor.author
Frączek, Barbara
dc.contributor.author
Łabaj, Paweł - 393494
dc.contributor.author
Kościółek, Tomasz - 106890
dc.contributor.author
Humińska-Lisowska, Kinga
dc.date.accessioned
2025-12-11T09:18:58Z
dc.date.available
2025-12-11T09:18:58Z
dc.date.createdaten
2025-12-04T06:54:18Z
dc.date.issued
2025
dc.date.openaccess
0
dc.description.accesstime
w momencie opublikowania
dc.description.version
ostateczna wersja wydawcy
dc.description.volume
15
dc.identifier.articleid
37529
dc.identifier.doi
10.1038/s41598-025-22848-9
dc.identifier.issn
2045-2322
dc.identifier.project
DRC AI
dc.identifier.uri
https://ruj.uj.edu.pl/handle/item/567372
dc.language
eng
dc.language.container
eng
dc.rights
Udzielam licencji. Uznanie autorstwa 4.0 Międzynarodowa
dc.rights.licence
CC-BY
dc.rights.uri
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.pl
dc.share.type
otwarte czasopismo
dc.subject.en
gut microbiome
dc.subject.en
high-altitude mountaineering
dc.subject.en
dietary intake
dc.subject.en
performance markers
dc.subject.en
metagenomics
dc.subject.en
physiological adaptation
dc.subtype
Article
dc.title
High-altitude mountaineering induces adaptive gut microbiome shifts associated with dietary intake and performance markers
dc.title.journal
Scientific Reports
dc.type
JournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeen
Publication
Affiliations

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