[4][5] Specifically, one study has proposed that V. atypica is beneficial for endurance performance because the high-lactate environment of the athlete provides a selective advantage for colonization by lactate metabolizing organisms, such as Veillonella.
[6] Previous studies in mice have shown that propionate increases heart rate variability (HRV) and VO2 max.
[10] Also, a higher VO2 max allows the athlete to produce more energy which allows them to do more work and an increase in lipid oxidation delays glycogen depletion.
3 Lactate → acetate + 2 propionate + CO2+ H2O A study of Veillonella in endurance athletes found that a relative abundance of the bacteria in the gut is associated with increased treadmill run time performance.
This effect was demonstrated to be due to the organism's propionate metabolite produced from lactic acid.