Bifidobacteria are a type of probiotics, which are healthy bacteria found in your intestines that help digest fiber, prevent infections, and produce important compounds, such as B vitamins and healthy fatty acids.
One of the main functions of bifidobacteria is to digest fiber and other complex carbs your body can’t digest on its own, which can lead to bathroom issues.
Specifically, bifidobacteria supplementation has been shown in research to significantly lower the incidence and severity of GI symptoms in marathon runners1.
Research has also shown that runners who supplemented with bifidobacteria saw a reduction in the severity of GI symptoms during training2 as well as a reduction in the duration of GI symptoms post-race3.
1. Kekkonen RA, Vasankari TJ, Vuorimaa T, Haahtela T, Julkunen I, Korpela R. The effect of probiotics on respiratory infections and gastrointestinal symptoms during training in marathon runners. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2007 Aug;17(4):352-63. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.17.4.352. PMID: 17962710.
2. Roberts JD, Suckling CA, Peedle GY, Murphy JA, Dawkins TG, Roberts MG. An Exploratory Investigation of Endotoxin Levels in Novice Long Distance Triathletes, and the Effects of a Multi-Strain Probiotic/Prebiotic, Antioxidant Intervention. Nutrients. 2016 Nov 17;8(11):733. doi: 10.3390/nu8110733. PMID: 27869661; PMCID: PMC5133117.
3. Pugh JN, Sparks AS, Doran DA, Fleming SC, Langan-Evans C, Kirk B, Fearn R, Morton JP, Close GL. Four weeks of probiotic supplementation reduces GI symptoms during a marathon race. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2019 Jul;119(7):1491-1501. doi: 10.1007/s00421-019-04136-3. Epub 2019 Apr 13. PMID: 30982100; PMCID: PMC6570661.