Intersections of Nutrition, Exercise, and the Gut Microbiome for Cardiometabolic Wellbeing

The relationship between nutrition, exercise, and the gut microbiome is a rapidly advancing field that sits at the crossroads of metabolic, cardiovascular, and overall human health. Recent evidence demonstrates that dietary intake and physical activity can both shape gut microbial diversity, metabolic activity, and the production of health-modulating metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids and secondary bile acids. These microbial products, in turn, have been linked to key outcomes including energy homeostasis, inflammation, vascular function, and the pathophysiology of chronic diseases. Despite significant gains, much of the research has focused on discrete populations or outcomes, leaving questions about the interplay of diet, exercise regimes, microbial ecology, and their collective impact on health markers applicable across various groups. Major gaps remain, including the integration of multi-omics perspectives, translation of findings beyond athletic populations, and the identification of clinically significant pathways that can be targeted for prevention or therapy.This Research Topic aims to systematically explore the multifaceted interactions among nutrition, physical activity, and the gut microbiome with specific attention to their collective role in metabolic and cardiovascular health. Our main objective is to advance mechanistic, clinical, and epidemiological understanding by inviting research that bridges laboratory findings, human intervention studies, and population-level insights. We encourage contributions that not only describe associations but also unravel causal mechanisms, examine microbial metabolite signatures, and incorporate biomarkers alongside functional and translational endpoints. By bringing together research from nutrition, exercise science, microbiology, and biomedicine, we hope to delineate actionable strategies for microbiome-targeted interventions in both health optimization and disease reduction.This Research Topic is limited to human-focused studies or clinically relevant animal models and emphasizes the integration of nutrition, exercise, and microbial endpoints. We especially seek submissions that use multi-disciplinary approaches and robust methodology to translate discoveries into practical recommendations. To gather further insights in these boundaries, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Dietary patterns, food groups, and supplements shaping the gut microbiome in active and non-active populations.• Effects of aerobic, resistance, interval, and mixed exercise training on gut microbiome composition and function.• Microbiota-derived metabolites in exercise adaptation, fatigue, recovery, and metabolic regulation.• Gut microbiome links with cardiometabolic risk markers, vascular health, blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and inflammation.• Interaction of diet quality indices, Mediterranean or DASH-style patterns, and physical activity with microbial signatures.• Gut barrier integrity, gastrointestinal symptoms, and immune responses in relation to exercise and nutrition.• Probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, fermented foods, and functional foods in sport, metabolic health, and cardiovascular prevention.• Rural–urban, age-related, or sex-specific differences in nutrition–exercise–microbiome interactions.• Multi-omics and biomarker-based approaches for precision nutrition and personalized exercise prescriptions.• Methodological advances in human microbiome research relevant to nutrition and exercise studies. Topic editors: JAVIER MODREGO, Eva Gesteiro Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81826/intersections-of-nutrition-exercise-and-the-gut-microbiome-for-cardiometabolic-wellbeing