Why Choose Food Research Lab's FRL as Your Food Product Development (FPD) Consultant and Partner?

There are several options in almost every product area in today’s market, and the difficulty is in coming up with unique items that stand out and connect with customers. Food Research Lab's Food Research Lab takes a holistic approach to creating food and beverage products. We define, demographically target, and build effective goods through a sequential process for category selection and comprehension. The client can visit the lab to learn the process. We offer unlimited rounds of revisions to ensure customer satisfaction. The final product prototype, along with the documentation process, including the video (through email), will be shipped to the client, and in case the client is not satisfied with the video, a food technology consultant will visit the place for the product demo at the client’s costs.

What are the different forms that you deliver the Food Product Formulations?

The food industry is witnessing a new form of consumption. Keeping that in mind, we can formulate the products in the form of ready-to-eat, ready-to-drink, ready-to-mix, ready-to-serve, and ready-to-cook food products. We use ingredients that offer an added value to the development and improve its indulgence and sustainability in terms of its functional ingredients, plant-based food dyes, and natural preservatives with a clean label.

What are the sectors Food Research Lab cover?

We cover a wide range of sectors such as soups, sauces and dips, chips, tortillas, dry beverage powder, plant-based products, masalas, puddings, instant mixes and many more.

How is sensory testing been carried out?

Our sensory examination leads to the precise formulation and recipe recommendations. We develop data-driven design models based on sensory research and customer insights. The fact-based design methodology used by Food Research Lab reduces risk and gives our clients market confidence while cutting development time in half. With our dedicated sensory lab facility, our team takes satisfaction in creating and optimizing successful products in the marketplace, generating a favourable return on investment, and developing brand advocates.

The scientific understanding of probiotics and their impact on athletic performance continues to expand, offering valuable insights for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. A recent systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression published in the Journal of Nutrients by Gutierrez and co-authors in 2022 explored the effects of probiotic supplementation on performance tests dominated by aerobic metabolism in trained populations, including athletes, Division I players, and individuals engaging in rigorous training (≥8 hours/week or ≥5 workouts/week).

The Role of Probiotic Supplementation in Enhancing Athletic Performance: Evidence-Based Insights

Interesting News . Dec 23, 2024

The scientific understanding of probiotics and their impact on athletic performance continues to expand, offering valuable insights for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. A recent systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression published in the Journal of Nutrients by Gutierrez and co-authors in 2022 explored the effects of probiotic supplementation on performance tests dominated by aerobic metabolism in trained populations, including athletes, Division I players, and individuals engaging in rigorous training (≥8 hours/week or ≥5 workouts/week).

Study Overview and Methodology

The research adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA®) guidelines and the PICOS framework. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science (WOS), and Scopus databases up to November 1, 2021. The study considered trials involving probiotic supplementation in trained populations and performance tests lasting longer than five minutes, reflecting aerobic metabolism predominance.

Out of 15 eligible articles (with 388 participants), 12 studies with 232 participants were included in the final meta-analysis. The study extracted data such as:

Risk of bias assessments were conducted using the Cochrane Collaboration Guidelines and the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale to ensure the reliability of the findings.

Key Findings and Insights

The meta-analysis revealed a small but significant positive effect of probiotics on aerobic performance tests, as indicated by a standardized mean difference (SMD) of 0.29 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.08–0.50; p < 0.05).**

Factors Influencing Probiotic Effectiveness

The subgroup analysis identified key variables that significantly enhanced probiotic effectiveness:

Higher Probiotic Dose (≥30 × 10⁹ CFU):
- Showed the most significant improvements in performance (SMD = 0.47; CI: 0.05–0.89; p < 0.05).
Shorter Supplementation Duration (≤4 Weeks):
- Short-term use yielded greater benefits (SMD = 0.44; CI: 0.05–0.84; p < 0.05).
Single-Strain Probiotics:
- Demonstrated better results compared to multi-strain formulations (SMD = 0.33; CI: 0.06–0.60; p < 0.05).
Male Participants:
- Probiotic supplementation effects were more pronounced in male athletes (SMD = 0.30; CI: 0.04–0.56; p < 0.05).
Exhaustion-Based Performance Tests:
- Testing protocols designed to reach exhaustion showed significant improvements (SMD = 0.45; CI: 0.05–0.48; p < 0.05).

Limitations and Future Directions

While the meta-analysis highlighted promising results, the meta-regression found that dose and duration covariates did not consistently predict probiotic effects in highly trained populations. This suggests that more research is required to understand the mechanisms of action and determine how probiotics influence performance metrics.

Key areas for future investigation include:

Practical Takeaways for Athletes

Evidence-Based Dosing:
- For optimal results, probiotic doses of ≥30 × 10⁹ CFU are recommended.
Short-Term Use is Effective:
- A supplementation duration of ≤4 weeks can provide measurable performance benefits.
Select the Right Strain:
- Single-strain probiotics may deliver more targeted benefits than multi-strain formulations.
Storage Matters:
- Probiotics are live organisms that require proper storage, such as refrigeration, to maintain their efficacy.

Conclusion:

This systematic review and meta-analysis provide robust evidence supporting the role of probiotics in improving aerobic performance in trained populations. While probiotics show potential as a supplement for athletic performance, further research is needed to clarify their mechanisms and expand their applications across diverse athletic disciplines.

As probiotics continue to gain traction in the sports and fitness world, athletes and coaches can leverage these findings to optimize training outcomes and enhance overall well-being.