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

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; I 2 = 99%] and urinary lactulose/mannitol ratio (MD: −0.01; 95% CI −0.02 to −0.001; I 2 = 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; I 2 = 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. Graphical Abstract