Investigation on thyroide hormones level in probiotic supplemented trained athletes

With attention to beneficial effects of probiotics on thyroid function, this study is done in order to answer the question of what affect the use of probiotic supplements on thyroid hormone indices in trained athletes. Subjects (athletes) were randomly assigned to two groups taking probiotic and placebo groups, respectively. The procedure has four main steps include: 1-PEPS; pre-exersice and pre-supplementation (onset of experiment), 2- EPS; post-exercise and pre-supplementation (after first time exercise and before supplementation), 3- ES; post-exercise and post-supplementation (after first time exercise and 30day probiotic/ or starch capsule supplementation), 4- ESE; post- supplementation and post-exercise (after 30day probiotic/ or starch capsule supplementation (ZistTakhmir Co., Tehran, Iran) and after second time exercise). Blood samples were taken at each of these four steps. Before probiotic-supplementation, subjects attended the aerobic training. Next, subjects have Bruce test. Probiotics (familac) (ZistTakhmir Co., Tehran, Iran) in capsule was as a combination of several types of probiotics (dosage of 1 capsule per day). Based on laboratory analysis of serums, ES group (probioticsupplemented) has greater T4 level (P< 0.05) and lower TSH levels in comparison with other groups (P<0.01). There is no significant difference between groups for T3, during experimental procedure. It can be concluded that probiotic supplementation for 30-days can stimulate thyroid activity in trained athletes (via increase T4), but this effect is somewhat instable, and the elevated T4 levels can be declines to normal range. So, probiotic supplementation can be used in athletes without possible adverse effect on thyroid activity.