Bovine Colostrum in Increased Intestinal Permeability in Healthy Athletes and Patients: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

Abstract

Background: Increasing intestinal permeability causes chronic inflammation, which is one of the etiological factors of many diseases that presently constitute global challenges.

Aims: Considering the importance of developing therapies to eliminate the increased intestinal permeability, in this systematic review and meta-analysis, we analyze the impact of bovine colostrum (BC) on the gut barrier and its permeability.

Methods: Online databases, including PubMed, ISI Web of Science, and Scopus, were searched to find pertinent articles up to March 2022. Weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were considered as effect sizes. The random-effects model was used to pool the study results.

Results: A total of ten articles were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled effect revealed a significant reduction in the 5-h urinary lactulose/rhamnose ratio after BC consumption [mean difference (MD): -0.24; 95% CI -0.43 to -0.04; I² = 99%] and urinary lactulose/mannitol ratio (MD: -0.01; 95% CI -0.02 to -0.001; I² = 29.8%). No differences were observed in the plasma intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) between BC and control groups (MD: 2.30; 95% CI -293.9 to 298.5; I² = 92%).

Conclusions: BC supplementation significantly reduced intestinal permeability; however, to confirm the results, more randomized clinical trials considering different quality, dose, and duration are needed.

Keywords: Bovine colostrum; Healthy athletes; Increased intestinal permeability; Patients.