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Sports Probiotics: ISSN Position Statement Highlights Performance Benefits

30 - Apr - 2026

The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) has released its Position Stand on probiotics for athletes, providing an authoritative review of the mechanisms and use of probiotic supplementation to optimize the health, performance, and recovery of athletes. The position stand concludes that probiotics are live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer health benefits on the host.

 

Sports Probiotics: ISSN Position Statement Highlights Performance Benefits

 

Approximately 70% of the immune system is located in the gut, and probiotic supplementation has been shown to promote a healthy immune response. In an athletic population, specific probiotic strains can reduce the number of episodes, severity, and duration of upper respiratory tract infections. Intense, prolonged exercise can increase gut permeability, potentially resulting in systemic toxemia, but specific probiotic strains can improve gut-barrier function integrity in athletes. Administration of selected anti-inflammatory probiotic strains has been linked to improved recovery from muscle-damaging exercise.

A scoping review published in Nutrients evaluated the gut microbiota composition of competitive cyclists. A 16-week multi-strain supplementation protocol showed improved aerobic performance and exertion rate in amateur cyclists. According to the International Probiotics Association, probiotics offer a novel strategy for optimizing recovery, nutrient absorption, immune status, GI function, and mental wellbeing in athletes.