The gastrointestinal tract of humans requires many nutrients and other health-supportive compounds to function at its best. Much like a symphony requiring multiple instrument sections to play harmoniously, the GI tract needs support from foods, fiber, bacteria, and various metabolites to promote healthy GI microbiota balance. When working optimally, the GI tract should be able to promptly detect, respond to, and remove any threat that stands to harm GI health. From threats such as bacteria or viruses to fungi and toxins, specific proteins that function within the GI tract called immunoglobulins (IGs; also known as antibodies) help to facilitate the elimination of these potentially harmful compounds through the stool.

The immune system naturally produces immunoglobulins throughout a person’s life. Initially, babies receive IGs from colostrum, the nutrient-dense milk produced approximately one to three days postpartum, which is rich in IgG, IgA, and IgM to help support the development of a newborn’s immune system. From childhood onwards, naturally produced IGs play a crucial role in helping to restore gut homeostasis by supporting healthy gut-immune system balance and mucosal barrier integrity. Immunoglobulins do not just come from nursing mothers or a person’s immune system. They are also available in supplement form and are commonly derived from cows (bovine) and serum bovine immunoglobulins (SBIs). Bovine colostrum contains lactose and may produce GI symptoms in those who are lactose intolerant or sensitive. 

Serum bovine immunoglobulins are the only purified, dairy-free alternative to colostrum that may provide clinically relevant amounts of IgG and IgA to support GI mucosal membrane integrity. SBIs help to bind potentially harmful compounds to promote healthy GI microbiota balance by creating larger complexes that lower their ability to cross the gut barrier and promote an immune response. These larger complexes are more likely to remain in the GI tract until regular GI tract movements expel them from the body. Unlike probiotics, which help seed the microbiome to promote healthy gut-microbial balance, SBI helps to bind potentially harmful antigens to promote a healthy GI microbiota balance. 

Benefits of Short-Chain Fatty Acid Production

In addition to SBIs’ ability to support the proper binding and elimination of toxins, SBIs may help support healthy mucosal barrier integrity by promoting the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs result from bacterial fermentation of dietary fibers, resistant starch, and SBIs. In an ex-vivo study with 24 adults, compared to the controls who received no supplementation, when SBI was given in the amounts of 2 and 5 g each day, analysis of human stool samples exhibited an increase in total SCFAs, including acetate, propionate, butyrate, and valerate (all p < 0.001). Bacteroidaceae and Lachnospiraceae families were stimulated by SBI administration and correlated with SCFA amounts. These findings, in addition to animal and human studies, reveal that healthy SCFA production may also help stabilize intestinal pH, attenuate pathogenic bacteria growth, and support healthy inflammatory responses. This is further supported by research with in vitro experiments that report that bacteria-made SCFAs, especially propionate and butyrate in the colon, may help restore gut homeostasis by mediating the growth of pathogenic microorganisms, like Salmonella. 

How SBI Supports a Gut Health 5R Program

SBIs, which contain >50% IgGs, ~5% IgMs, and ~1% IgAs, may fit nicely within the Remove and Revive phases of the 5R Gut-Health Program. The 5R program is a clinical guideline to support GI health through five phases: Remove, Replace, Replenish, Revive, and Rebalance. The Remove phase promotes healthy GI microbiota balance by removing any sources of irritation to the GI tract. These include inflammatory foods, toxins, pathogens, poor lifestyle choices, and excessive alcohol consumption. Integrating SBIs with the Remove phase may help to facilitate the proper removal of potentially harmful and toxic compounds via stool. 

The Revive phase initiates the addition of targeted nutrients and herbs that support the integrity of GI tract barrier function. A healthy gut barrier may help support optimal digestion, bowel movements, immune health, healthy GI microbial environments, and gut-associated inflammatory responses. In addition to SBIs’ potential to remove potentially harmful threats, they also support healthy GI microbial environments by modulating the internal microbiome to promote specific species that support SCFA production. In turn, SCFA production may help create a GI microbial environment more favorable to human health.

Clinical Evidence of Serum Bovine Immunoglobulins

Building on their role in the Remove and Revive phases of gut health, the clinical evidence further highlights the effectiveness of SBIs in supporting gastrointestinal health. Human clinical trials support that SBIs may help promote gut health, nutritional status, and healthy inflammatory responses in adults and children with inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome. In a study of 1,377 patients with IBD or IBS, participants who were given 5 g/day of SBI exhibited improvements in daily bowel habits and quality of life (the study did not specify the length of administration). The percentage of IBS patients reporting normal stool frequency (≤4 stools per day) increased from 35% of patients from baseline to 91% while using SBI. The average daily stool count for participants with IBS and IBD significantly decreased from 6.5 ± 4.3 before SBI use to 2.6 ± 1.9 following SBI use. Most importantly, approximately 67% of participants agreed “strongly” or “very strongly” that SBI helped manage their condition, and 59% felt it enabled them to resume enjoyable activities. 

Conclusion 

SBIs offer a unique and comprehensive approach to promoting healthy GI microbiota balance by binding and facilitating the elimination of harmful complexes, supporting SCFA production, and helping to restore gut homeostasis. Unlike probiotics, SBI helps promote a safe environment conducive to a healthy microbiome while supporting gut and immune health. SBI may be an important strategy in the Remove and Revive phases of the 5R gut healing program and makes it a valuable tool for individuals whose goals align with improving overall gut health.

Learn more about gut health: 

New Review Investigates the Efficacy of Different Probiotics in IBS

Recent Review Explores Biochemical Relationship Between Gut Metabolites and Metabolic Health  

Spore-Based Probiotics: Guardians of Gut Health 

By Bri Mesenbring, MS, CNS, LDN, and Danielle C. Male, MS, CNS, LDN