Results: In trial 1, maximum leg strength after training tended to increase more in the matcha group than that in the placebo group. In the matcha group, subjective fatigue after exercise at 1 week of training was lower than that in the placebo group. Gut microbe analysis showed that the abundance of five genera changed after matcha intake. The change in Ruminococcus, Butyricimonas, and Oscillospira compositions positively correlated with the change in maximum strength. In trial 2, the change in skeletal muscle mass in response to training was larger in the matcha group. In addition, the salivary cortisol level was lower in the matcha group than that in the placebo group.
Conclusion: Daily intake of matcha green tea beverages may help in muscle adaptation to training, with modulations in stress and fatigue responses and microbiota composition.
Funding: This work was supported by the Matcha and Health Research Group and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research,