Post-Delivery Milking Delay Influence on the Effect of Oral Supplementation with Bovine Colostrum as Measured with Intestinal Permeability Test

Abstract

Background and objective: The health supplement bovine colostrum reportedly improves immunity and regulates intestinal homeostasis. Reliable assessment methods are needed to ensure the satisfactory biological activity of all marketed colostrum products. Of the well-established effects of colostrum use, the restoration of appropriate intestinal permeability assessed with the lactulose/mannitol (L/M) differential sugar absorption test upon supplementation with colostrum has been consistently observed. Milking time after delivery is one of the factors that influences the composition of bovine colostrum, which causes a rapid decrease in bioactive components. Materials and methods: We use the L/M test to evaluate the intestinal permeability reduction upon supplementation with colostrum (2 × 500 mg) harvested at various times after delivery (2, 24, and 72 h) or a placebo (whey). In our randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled (DBPC) trial, 31 healthy athletes were divided into four groups and assessed at baseline and after the intervention. Results: The trial revealed that only colostrum collected after 2 h and 24 h caused a significant reduction of intestinal permeability. The comparison of post-intervention vs. baseline Δ values produced statistically significant results for 2 h colostrum versus the placebo and 72 h colostrum groups. Conclusions: We conclude that the change of bovine colostrum composition over the first three days of lactation is accompanied by a decrease in its biological activity as measured with the L/M test. This test may offer a biological quality measure for colostrum.

Bovine Colostrum: Its Constituents and Uses

“…In parallel with the fall off in IgG and growth factor content, studies examining the biological activity of BC collected on day 1 post-calving versus day 3 have demonstrated major differences in their ability to stimulate the growth and repair of human gut cells in in vitro models of gastric damage [ 83 ] and in reducing increased gut permeability in humans [ 129 ]. However, differences in the BC collection period are not the only cause of bioactive variability; variation in storage conditions, processing, and pasteurisation may also contribute to the six-fold difference in bioactivity seen when commercial products were compared [ 83 ].…”

A systematic review: Role of dietary supplements on markers of exercise-associated gut damage and permeability

“…Another reason for the difference in results may be a difference in the bioactive components in the bovine colostrum itself. Due to some inconsistent results between bovine colostrum studies, Halasa and colleagues investigated the impact of delayed milking post-partum on the ability of bovine colostrum to reduce permeability markers in recreational athletes [ 64 ]. They found that bovine colostrum obtained 72-hour post-partum was less effective than colostrum from 2- and 24-hours post-partum.…”

Insights into the Research Trends on Bovine Colostrum: Beneficial Health Perspectives with Special Reference to Manufacturing of Functional Foods and Feed Supplements

“…Intestinal permeability or hyperpermeability is a recently observed medical disorder in which the tight connections in the gut epithelial wall lose their integrity, allowing material from the lumen to leak into the bloodstream or other organs [ 95 ]. Hałasa et al [ 96 ] conducted a placebo-controlled, double-blind trial on healthy individuals to determine the effectiveness of BC supplementation in responses to intestinal permeability, conducting a further assessment with the mannitol/lactulose differential sugar absorption test. For the study, the colostrum samples were collected at different lengths of time after parturition (2, 24, and 72 h).…”