Systematic Reviews
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2025. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jun 14, 2025; 31(22): 106835
Published online Jun 14, 2025. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i22.106835
Exploring the gut-exercise link: A systematic review of gastrointestinal disorders in physical activity
Mohammed Al-Beltagi, Nermin Kamal Saeed, Adel Salah Bediwy, Yasser El-Sawaf, Akram Elbatarny, Reem Elbeltagi
Mohammed Al-Beltagi, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31511, Al Gharbia, Egypt
Mohammed Al-Beltagi, Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center, King Abdulla Medical City, Arabian Gulf University‎, Manama 26671, Bahrain
Nermin Kamal Saeed, Medical Microbiology Section, Department of Pathology, Salmaniya Medical Complex, ‎Governmental Hospitals, Manama 12, Bahrain
Nermin Kamal Saeed, Medical Microbiology Section, Department of Pathology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland-Bahrain, Busaiteen 15503, Muharraq, Bahrain
Adel Salah Bediwy, Department of Pulmonology, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Al Gharbia, Egypt
Adel Salah Bediwy, Department of Pulmonology, University Medical Center, King Abdulla Medical City, Arabian Gulf University, Manama 26671, Bahrain
Yasser El-Sawaf, Department of Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Al Gharbia, Egypt
Yasser El-Sawaf, Department of Gastroenterology, University Medical Center, King Abdulla Medical City, Arabian Gulf University, Manama 26671, Bahrain
Akram Elbatarny, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Al Gharbia, Egypt
Reem Elbeltagi, Department of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland-Medical University of Bahrain, Busaiteen 15503, Muharraq, Bahrain
Co-first authors: Mohammed Al-Beltagi and Nermin Kamal Saeed.
Author contributions: Al-Beltagi M and Saeed NK contributed to manuscript drafting and made contributions equally as co-first authors; Al-Beltagi M conceptualized and designed the study, supervised the narrative review process, and coordinated author collaboration; Saeed NK conducted literature searches and data extraction, provided microbiological expertise related to gastrointestinal health; Bediwy AS offered clinical expertise in pulmonology and its relevance to systemic inflammation, assisted in data analysis, and participated in manuscript review and editing; El-Sawaf Y provided insights into tropical and gastroenterological diseases, supported the interpretation of findings, and reviewed the manuscript for clinical accuracy; Elbatarny A contributed pediatric surgical expertise, provided input on gastrointestinal conditions in pediatric populations; Elbeltagi R assisted in reviewing the methodology, contributed to drafting specific sections, and ensured consistency in data presentation and discussion; Al-Beltagi M, Saeed NK, and Elbatarny A contributed to manuscript revision. All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring its accuracy and integrity.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2009 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2009 Checklist.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Mohammed Al-Beltagi, MD, PhD, Chief Physician, Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, No. 1 Hassan Radwan Street, Tanta 31511, Al Gharbia, Egypt. mbelrem@hotmail.com
Received: March 9, 2025
Revised: April 27, 2025
Accepted: May 27, 2025
Published online: June 14, 2025
Processing time: 96 Days and 5.2 Hours
Core Tip

Core Tip: This systematic review explores the complex relationship between exercise and gastrointestinal (GI) health, highlighting the dual effects of physical activity. Moderate-intensity exercises like walking and yoga promote intestinal motility, reduce systemic inflammation, and enhance gut barrier integrity, benefiting conditions like gastroesophageal reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and constipation. Conversely, high-intensity or prolonged exercise can exacerbate GI symptoms, such as nausea and diarrhea, due to splanchnic hypoperfusion and increased intestinal permeability. Individual responses vary based on fitness level, dietary habits, and underlying GI conditions, emphasizing the need for personalized exercise and dietary strategies. This systematic review underscores moderate exercise as a safe, effective intervention for optimizing GI health.