The nutriceutical bovine colostrum truncates the increase in gut permeability caused by heavy exercise in athletes

Abstract

Heavy exercise causes gut symptoms and, in extreme cases, "heat stroke" partially due to increased intestinal permeability of luminal toxins. We examined bovine colostrum, a natural source of growth factors, as a potential moderator of such effects. Twelve volunteers completed a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover protocol (14 days colostrum/placebo) prior to standardized exercise. Gut permeability utilized 5 h urinary lactulose-to-rhamnose ratios. In vitro studies (T84, HT29, NCM460 human colon cell lines) examined colostrum effects on temperature-induced apoptosis (active caspase-3 and 9, Bax␣, Bcl-2), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) expression and epithelial electrical resistance. In both study arms, exercise increased blood lactate, heart rate, core temperature (mean 1.4°C rise) by similar amounts. Gut hormone profiles were similar in both arms although GLP-1 levels rose following exercise in the placebo but not the colostrum arm (P ϭ 0.026). Intestinal permeability in the placebo arm increased 2.5-fold following exercise (0.38 Ϯ 0.012 baseline, to 0.92 Ϯ 0.014, P Ͻ 0.01), whereas colostrum truncated rise by 80% (0.38 Ϯ 0.012 baseline to 0.49 Ϯ 0.017) following exercise. In vitro apoptosis increased by 47-65% in response to increasing temperature by 2°C. This effect was truncated by 60% if colostrum was present (all P Ͻ 0.01). Similar results were obtained examining epithelial resistance (colostrum truncated temperature-induced fall in resistance by 64%, P Ͻ 0.01). Colostrum increased HSP70 expression at both 37 and 39°C (P Ͻ 0.001) and was truncated by addition of an EGF receptor-neutralizing antibody. Temperature-induced increase in Bax␣ and reduction in Bcl-2 was partially reversed by presence of colostrum. Colostrum may have value in enhancing athletic performance and preventing heat stroke.repair; gut growth; injury; clinical trial SEVERAL STRESSES AFFECT the integrity of the intestinal barrier. These include prolonged strenuous exercise (10), heat stress (11), and drugs such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents. Loss of intestinal barrier integrity leading to increased intestinal permeability may result in passage of luminal endotoxins into the circulation. This, in turn, results in an inflammatory cascade, exacerbating the loss of barrier function and, in severe cases, resulting in severe systemic effects.Severe cases of decompensation can result in the lifethreatening condition of exertional heat stroke, associated with hyperthermia, multiorgan failure, and endotoxemia. In addition, it is increasingly recognized that similar processes have relevance for many athletes involved in heavy exercise such as long-distance running. Gastrointestinal symptoms including cramps, diarrhea, nausea, and bleeding are commonly reported by long-distance runners (16). These symptoms are likely to be due to a combination of reduced splanchnic blood flow, hormonal changes, altered gut permeability, and increased body temperature.Pharmacological options to reduce these problems are limited, particularly in compe...

Bovine Colostrum and Immune Function after Exercise

“…Supplementation with bovine colostrum has been shown to be beneficial in maintaining intestinal integrity. For example, Marchbank et al [8] conducted a placebo-controlled, counterbalanced crossover study to determine the effects of bovine colostrum supplementation on exercise-induced changes in intestinal permeability. Subjects were required to run on a treadmill for 20 minutes (which caused core body temperature to increase by between 1 and 2°C) after 2 weeks of daily supplementation with 20 g per day of bovine colostrum or a protein and energy-matched placebo.…”

“…The observed a reduction of heat-induced apoptosis in these cells, was shown to be partly attributed to epidermal growth factor (EGF) present in the colostrum, confirmed by incubation with anti-EGF antibodies, although some of the anti-apoptotic processes were unaltered by anti-EGF, showing that other factors must also contribute. Marchbank et al [8] also showed that bovine colostrum enhanced heat shock proteins (HSPs) induction under basal and heat stress conditions. This is another possible mechanism to explain the beneficial effects of colostrum as HSPs provide cellular protection against numerous insults, including heat and oxidative stresses, and it is likely that this also contributed to the truncated exercise-induced rise in intestinal permeability seen in this study.…”

Importance of Gastrointestinal Function to Athletic Performance and Health

“…Recent research has also shown that 14 days of supplementation with bovine colostrum can reduce the increase in gut permeability after acute, vigorous exercise possibly by mechanisms including reducing temperature-induced apoptosis ( Marchbank et al, 2011). Although research is limited, this study suggests that colostrum supplementation may be benefi cial in maintaining gut stability during exercise and could help prevent GI discomfort.…”

The influence of epidural blockade on gut permeability in patients undergoing open surgical repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm

“…These molecules undergo active carrier-mediated, passive carrier-mediated, transcellular and paracellular transport, respectively, in the small intestine. They are widely used as diagnostic tools to detect disturbances in these processes [15,16]. It is believed that the most representative parameter of intestinal wall integrity is the L/R ratio, which is normally below 0.05 [17].…”