PREVENTION OF ACUTE GI DISTURBANCES WITH A FUNCTIONAL FOOD FORMULATION DESIGNED TO SUPPORT AND MAINTAIN INTESTINAL BARRIER FUNCTION DURING SPORTS PERFORMANCE Salamone Maurizio, Sponsiello Nicola, Daniele Carandini, Roberto Conte, Stefano Belgeri

1. 7 Settembre 2014- Sana Pad. 35 Sala Benessere ore 12:00
“PREVENTION OF ACUTE GI DISTURBANCES WITH A
FUNCTIONAL FOOD FORMULATION DESIGNED TO SUPPORT
AND MAINTAIN INTESTINAL BARRIER FUNCTION DURING
SPORTS PERFORMANCE”
N. Sponsiello –S.Belgeri -R .Conte – D. Carandini – M. Salamone

2. Prof. Nicola Sponsiello
Dott. Stefano Belgeri
Dott. Roberto Conte
Dott. Daniele Carandini
Dott. Maurizio Salamone

3. Gastrointestinal sympoms reported
during/after prolonged and intense physical exercise
Upper GI tract Lower GI Tract
Delaied gastric emptying(GE) Abdominal pain
Gastroesofageal reflux nGER Bloating/borborigms/gas
Gastric burns Diarrhea
Dizzines/Nausea/Vomiting Blood in faecis
Eruttations Acute pain at right/left side

4. GI PROBLEMS IN THE LAST 2 YEARS
COMPETITIONS AND DROPOUTS FOR GI REASONS
Grafico 3
How many competitions with GI disturbances or
dropouts for GI problems in the last 2 years

6. Is it possible to train our gut as well as we train
our muscles?
Intestinal
ecosystem
Nutrients
absorption
and digestion
Intollerances
and allegies
Inflammation
Digestive
tract
Strenght
Resistence
Flexibility
Bones and
muscles
Stress
management
Concentration
Motivation
Psyche

7. Objectives of the observational study:
Primary objective
Verify if a mix of nutrients formulated to mantain and rebalance gastrointestinal barrier
can reduce gastrointestinal side effects induced by physical stress due to intense and
prolonged exercise in healthy adults
- Quality of life, energy and resistance;
- Frequency of gastrointestinal tract problems and aspecific symptoms
Secondary objectives
% dropouts due to digestive tract disorders
in treatment group compared to controls

8. 50 enrolled athlets
among 705 athlets at the start (7%)
47 athlets trained their gut with Nutrimonium
for a months before the race
Technic and scientific support
from Metagenics medical division
Collaboration and synergy with Sport doctors and race organizzation
Athlets used Nutrimonium 1 months before the race and
during the race
Study in number:
FORM 1
N=47
FORM 2
N=47
FORM 3
N=41

9. Study design and
start up
Operational phases of the study:
• Study design
• Forms elaboration
• Athlets enrolling and first form
• Evaluation of possible sinergic activities with other interventions and researches
1 month of
treatment during
training
• Shipment of 1 month treatment (28 sachets) to enrolled athlets
• 2 form
Treatment during
the race
• Delivery of the race-treatment with the official race bag
• 3 form after the race
Analisi, valutazione e pubblicazione dei dati ottenuti.

10. The race starts under heavvy rain:

11. Metagenics hero:

12. Results I
Instestinal and general benefits
• 24 athlets on 47 enrolled reports 1 or more benefits related with
the treatment (51 %) during training and during the race
More energy and resistance
• 11 athlets on 47 enrolled reported more energy and physical
resistance during the month of training (23,4%)
Dropouts for GI disorders
• 1 athlet on 43 that completed the 3rd form dropout for
gastrointestinal problems (6 /140 in the control group)

13. NORMAL GUT HABITS
YES
NORMAL GUT HABITS

14. BLOATING AND ABDOMINAL PAIN
YES
BLOATING AND ABDOMINAL PAIN

15. BENEFITS AND COMPLIANCE
Regular use of formula during
the study
Benefits in comparison to
previous month
Side effects linket do the
treatment
Treatment interrupted before
The competition
YES

16. COMPETITION

17. Time 0 After 30GG delta %
Results II
NUMBER OF ATHLETS 47 (41M+6F) 47 (41M+6F)
AVERAGE WHEIGHT in Kg 72,1 70,9 -1,2
REGULAR GUT TRANSIT 83,3% 96,6% +13,3
DIARRHEA 6,3% 8,5% +2,2
CONSTIPATION 4,2% 2,1% -2,1
FREUENT ABDOMINAL PAIN 8,3% 8,5% +0,2
BLOATING 27,1% 14,9% -12,2
ESOFAGITIS, GASTRIC PAIN, GER 2,1% 2,1% 0
DISPEPSIA OR SLOW DIGESTION 8,3% 6,4% -1,9
GI PROBLEMS BEFORE/DURING TRAINING 97,0% 70,2% -26,8
BENEFITS VS. MONTH BEFORE 51,1%
SIDE EFFECTS 14,9%
TREATMENT INTERRUPTED 14,9%
GENERAL HEALTH CONDITIONS AND QUALITY OF LIFE (SCALE 1 TO 10) 8,1 8,4 ++3,7
0,3

18. Results III
NUTRIMONIUM % CONTROLS % RACE %
RECEIVED FORMS 47 140 705
DROPOUTS 24 51,1% 52 37,1% 322 46,2%
DROPOUTS FOR GI
PROBLEMS 1 4,2% 6 11,5% 0,0%
3 TIMES (in %) MORE DROPOUTS FOR GI PROBLEMs
IN CONTROL GROUP COMPARED TO Nutrimonium group

19. “I had diarrhea form Loson hill up to
Cogne probably due to a very bad teà
that I get at the recovery point!!!
Then I get my Nutrimonium in the
morning and everything was all right up
do Donnaz except for some pain at the
knee!! I felt really good.
I run 150 km in 3 hours!!!”

20. “I was very afraid of a digestive block
due to the physical stress combined
with the night cold of the mountains
Furthermore I had to drink iced drinks
and water.
(for me it is a frequent problem).
Ma everithing went quite right..

21. “At all times during the race my gut worked very well.
I was really surprised about that considering my
previous experiences

24. Take home messages…
 It’s possible to train our gut order to have it ready to cope
with physical stress and prolonged and intense exercise.
 We tested with succes efficacy of a nutritional integrative
formulation called Nutrimonium in healthy athlets
running the hardest ultra-marathon of the world: Tor de
Geants;
 24 athlets/47 enrolled reported benefits
 Less dropouts in Nutrimonium group vs. controls