Why are elite athletes different than the rest of us? Take a look at their microbes

Elite athletes can pull off physical feats that the rest of us can’t, and their microbes may be one reason why. Researchers looked at stool samples from Boston Marathon runners before and after the race and found that the post-race samples had an elevated number of a bacterium that breaks down lactate. The bacterium — known as Veillonella — is known for turning lactate into another compound that serves as an energy source for cells. Mice that were colonized with a strain of Veillonella from elite athletes also showed an increase in endurance. Could popping a probiotic pill of Veillonella help the non-elite among us do better with our running routines? Scientists say we’re not there yet.