Novel herbal beverage ameliorates exercise-induced fatigue in mice by modulating oxidative stress and reshaping the gut microbiota

With the demands of enhancing exercise performance, dietary supplements are widely used in the health management of athletes and who engaged in strenuous exercise. Based on the list of edible and medicinal materials approved by China's National Health Commission, we composed an herbal beverage formula named SRB, initially identified its chemical composition, and clarified its preventive effect on exercise-induced fatigue (EIF). SRB supplementation for four weeks significantly enhanced exercise performance in mice, as reflected by exhaustive swimming test and treadmill exercise test. In mice that underwent one single exhaustive exercise, SRB supplementation markedly reduced metabolite accumulation, increased glycogen contents in the liver and muscle, promoted anti-oxidative enzyme activities, decreased hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and protected quadriceps femoris morphology, respectively. Anti-oxidative stress effect of SRB may be relevant with increased gene expressions of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and antioxidant response element (ARE)-dependent gene. Moreover, SRB treatment altered gut bacterial community structure, e.g., increased the relative abundance of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)-producing bacteria and decreased the relative abundance of sulfate-reducing bacteria. Altogether, we identified SRB as an effective anti-EIF dietary supplement with prebiotic effects in C57BL/6 mice.