Key points from article :
The study showed that mice with poor gut flora did not find exercise rewarding.
Scientists found some types of gut bacteria produce compounds that can influence dopamine levels in the brain.
In turn, this might influence motivation to go on a morning run.
The researchers meticulously phenotyped mice and accumulated thousands of data points per animal.
They found that in striatal neurons, levels of dopamine were elevated by exercise in mice with intact microbiota, but not in antibiotic-treated mice.
Researchers turned their attention to nerves.
When there are few FAA (fatty acid amides)-producing bacteria in the gut, this seems to blunt the exercise-associated dopamine surge, leading to diminished motivation to exercise.
If proven true to humans, people might soon be able to increase their motivation to exercise by consuming specific strains of bacteria or FAAs directly.
The study was carried out at the University of Pennsylvania and was published in Nature.
