The Effects of Prenatal Probiotics on Exercise Endurance and Body Weight in Rats: Introduction of a Multi‐Strain Probiotic Supplement Early in Life
Authors: Heeb-Wade Olivia Nicole , Leal Anna K. 
Published: April 2020

Previous studies have shown probiotics given to adult rats improve running endurance and lower body weight and percent fat. Further, in humans, prenatal and neonatal probiotics have been investigated for preventing pre‐term delivery, perinatal infections, and gastrointestinal disease. However, the effects of prenatal
probiotics on exercise endurance and adult body weight have not been investigated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine effects of prenatal probiotic on body weight and exercise endurance in rats. This study included 17 Sprague Dawley rats divided into 3 groups: prenatal probiotic (pre‐pro; n = 6), adult probiotic (ad‐pro; n = 5), and control (con; n = 6). Pre‐pro rats received probiotic (Bene‐Bac® Plus Small Animal Powder, 3.5 g in 570 mL water) daily throughout gestation, nursing, and adulthood while ad‐pro rats received probiotic daily beginning at 21 days (weaning). Control rats received normal water. At 4 weeks post‐weaning, all groups began a treadmill training program that included 5 days of treadmill acclimation. Once acclimated, rats underwent 3 weeks of endurance testing which consisted of running until exhaustion daily for 5 days per week. All rats ran at 15 m/min for 2 minutes, then speed was increased 1 m/min every 2 min. Treadmill endurance times were recorded when rats slid off treadmill lane and stayed off for 2 seconds (s). Our data showed average treadmill endurance time was significantly increased for combined males and females in pre‐pro (378.6 ± 19 s) and ad‐pro (367.4 ± 22 s) groups when compared to the con (262.5 ± 16 s; p < 0.05) group. For male rats, treadmill endurance times averaged 220.3 ± 15 s for pre‐pro, 241.0 ± 25 s for adpro, and 150.0 ± 11 s for con (p < 0.05). For female rats, treadmill endurance times averaged 457.8 ± 20 s for pre‐pro, 451.7 ±25 s for ad‐pro, and 318.8 ± 20 s for con (p < 0.05). Females in all groups had significantly longer treadmill endurance times than males (p < 0.0001). Importantly, adult female pre‐pro group weighed 273.3 ± 6.3 g, which was significantly less than the con group, which weighed 328 ± 6.3 g. However, there were no differences in adult male or combined male and female weight between pre‐pro, ad‐pro, and con groups. Pre‐pro group (combined males and females) also had significantly higher relative tissue weights (different tissue weights adjusted for individual body weight percent) for heart, triceps surae muscles, soleus muscle, and gastrocnemius muscle when compared to the con and ad‐pro groups. This suggests that adult rats that received prenatal probiotics had lower body weight (females only) and more lean mass when compared to rats given probiotics during adulthood only and rats not given probiotics at all. In conclusion, prenatal and adult probiotics increased treadmill endurance. Additionally, to our knowledge, this is the first study that shows that prenatal probiotics increase lean mass in adulthood. This study provides evidence that prenatal probiotics may prevent obesity and promote more muscle mass in early life and adulthood.

Support or Funding Information

Bridgewater College (undergraduate research grant)