AUTHOR=Yeh Wen-Ling , Hsu Yi-Ju , Ho Chin-Shen , Ho Hsieh-Hsun , Kuo Yi-Wei , Tsai Shin-Yu , Huang Chi-Chang , Lee Mon-Chien TITLE=Lactobacillus plantarum PL-02 Supplementation Combined With Resistance Training Improved Muscle Mass, Force, and Exercise Performance in Mice JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition VOLUME=9 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.896503 DOI=10.3389/fnut.2022.896503 ISSN=2296-861X ABSTRACT=

Increasing numbers of researchers are investigating the benefits of probiotics in enhancing exercise performance and verifying the role of the gut–muscle axis. In our previous study, Lactobacillus plantarum PL-02 improved exercise performance and muscle mass. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether supplementation with PL-02 combined with resistance training has a synergistic effect on exercise performance and muscle mass. All the animals were assigned into four groups (n = 8/group): a sedentary control with normal distilled water group (vehicle, n = 8); PL-02 supplementation group (PL-02, 2.05 × 109 CFU, n = 8); resistance training group (RT, n = 8); PL-02 supplementation combined with resistance training group (PL-02 + RT, 2.05 × 109 CFU, n = 8). Supplementation with PL-02 for four consecutive weeks combined with resistance exercise training significantly improved the grip strength and the maximum number of crawls; increased the time of exhaustive exercise; significantly reduced the time required for a single climb; and reduced the lactate, blood ammonia, creatine kinase, and blood urea nitrogen produced after exercise (p < 0.05). In addition, it produced substantial benefits for increasing muscle mass without causing any physical damage. In summary, our findings confirmed that PL-02 or RT supplementation alone is effective in improving muscle mass and exercise performance and in reducing exercise fatigue, but the combination of the two can achieve increased benefits.