Glenn Gibson

Objectives Elite rugby union players face numerous physiological and psychological stressors which can increase upper respiratory and gastrointestinal illness risk, and in turn can compromise training and competitive performance. This study aimed to investigate the effect of daily prebiotic supplementation on upper respiratory symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, and markers of immune function in elite rugby union players. Methods Thirty‐three elite rugby union players were randomly assigned to consume a prebiotic (2.8 g/day galactooligosaccharide) or placebo (2.8 g/day maltodextrin), daily for 168 days under double‐blind conditions. Participants completed daily and weekly questionnaires for self‐reported upper respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms respectively. Blood and saliva samples were collected at 0, 84, and 168 days for assessment of plasma TNF‐α and CRP, and saliva IgA respectively. Results The prebiotic group experienced a 2‐day reduction in upper respiratory symptom duration ( P = 0.045). Gastrointestinal symptom severity and incidence were lower in the prebiotic group compared to the placebo group ( P < 0.001, P = 0.041) respectively. Salivary immunoglobulin A secretion rate was 42% greater in the prebiotic group compared to the placebo group at day 168 ( P = 0.004), no differences in CRP and TNF‐α were found ( P > 0.05). Conclusion A 168‐day dietary prebiotic intervention reduced the duration of upper respiratory symptoms and reduced the incidence and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms in elite rugby union players. These findings suggest that seasonal prebiotic interventions may be beneficial for reducing illness in elite rugby union players, improving their availability to train and compete. Key points Elite athletes are susceptible to upper respiratory symptoms and gastrointestinal symptoms which may impact upon training availability and competition performance. For the first time, this study shows that a dietary prebiotic intervention can reduce the duration of upper respiratory symptoms by 2 days in elite rugby union players. Dietary prebiotic supplementation can improve the incidence and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms experienced by elite rugby union players. Prebiotic supplementation was able to increase salivary IgA secretion after 168 days. These findings can inform practice suggesting that seasonal prebiotic use has the potential to modulate immune function and reduce illness in elite rugby union, which may improve a player's availability to train and compete. The mechanisms by which prebiotics reduce URS and GIS require further research exploration.