Gender-Based Differences in Gut Microbiota Composition in Response to Anxiety and Stress in Shooting and Archery Athletes

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of anxiety among male and female shooting and archery athletes in Shanghai, and to explore the relationships between dietary patterns, anxiety, and gut microbiota.

Method

We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 110 elite athletes. Participants were divided into four groups based on gender and anxiety status as determined by the scores of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7): anxious males (AM), non-anxious males (NM), anxious females (AF), and non-anxious females (NF). The questionnaire encompassed demographic characteristics, anxiety scales, and a 24-h dietary recall; fecal samples were collected for 16S rRNA sequencing.

Finding

Athletes in the anxious exhibited significantly higher rates of alcohol consumption, smoking, and higher education levels compared to those in the normal athletes (p < 0.05). Lower alpha diversity was observed in NM compared with NF (p < 0.05). At the phylum level, the anxious group showed a higher relative abundance of Firmicutes and a lower abundance of Actinobacteria compared to the normal group. Predictive functional profiling suggested that AM had higher endoplasmic reticulum protein processing and lower inositol phosphate metabolism, while AF displayed impaired base excision repair functionality.

Conclusion

Overall, anxiety levels in elite athletes are associated with gender and gut microbial composition, suggesting that modulating the brain-gut-microbe axis could offer potential strategies for improving mental health and optimizing competitive performance.