SHR # 2897:: Antibiotics and Microbiome: Separating Athletes from Couch Potatoes - Dr. Theodore Garland, PhD, - Dr. Monica McNamara, PhD - New research demonstrates that by killing essential gut bacteria, antibiotics ravage athletes’ motivation and endurance. The UC Riverside-led mouse study suggests the microbiome is a big factor separating athletes from couch potatoes. “We believed an animal’s collection of gut bacteria, its microbiome, would affect digestive processes and muscle function, as well as motivation for various behaviors, including exercise,”