Study: Colostrum helps treat leaky gut syndrome

Friday, February 25, 2011 by: Jonathan Benson, staff writer
Tags: colostrum, leaky gut syndrome, health news

(NaturalNews) Heavy-training athletes, and runners in particular, often suffer from "leaky gut syndrome," a condition in which bowel health becomes damaged due to increased permeability of gut lining. But a new study published in the American Journal of Physiology - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology has found a viable solution -- bovine colostrum.

Colostrum, which is the "first milk" produced by mammals for their offspring prior to actual milk production, is loaded with antibodies, immunoglobulins, and other immune-boosting nutrients. It is known to increase energy levels, protect the intestinal tract, ward off infection, and even reverse aging (https://www.naturalnews.com/022851.html).

For the study, Ray Playford, Professor of Medicine at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, and his colleagues instructed a group of athletes to run for 20 minutes at 80 percent of their aerobic maximum. Upon completion, the runners provided the team with urine samples for evaluation. The team noted a 250 percent increase in gut leakage, as well as a two-degree increase in body temperature, due to the training.

In a second experiment, the runners performed the same test again, but this time took colostrum every day for two weeks prior. At the end of the second trial, researchers noted an 80 percent decrease in leaky gut compared to the first trial, indicating a clear connection between colostrum consumption and improvements in gut health.

"Athletes' performance can be seriously diminished due to gut symptoms during heavy exercise," said Playford. "We have been looking at natural approaches to reduce this problem as the range of products that athletes can legitimately take is very limited. Our findings suggest colostrum may have real value in helping our athletes perform."

Other athletic benefits of colostrum include prolonged endurance, prevention of upper respiratory infections, and increased levels of anaerobic strength.

Sources for this story include:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-...