Effects of kefir or milk supplementation on zonulin in overweight subjects

摘要

Increased intestinal permeability has been shownto be involved in several diseases associated with lowgradechronic inflammation, including obesity and metabolicsyndrome. In the last decade, growing evidenceshows the beneficial effects of probiotic-containing foodsupplementation on these conditions. In this crossoverintervention study on 28 asymptomatic overweightadults, we tested the effects of a 3-wk kefir supplementationcompared with a 3-wk milk supplementationon serum zonulin levels. The effects on serum glucose,triacylglycerols, low-density lipoproteins, high-densitylipoproteins, total cholesterol, markers of inflammation(C-reactive protein and adiponectin), anthropometricvariables, mood, and appetite were also determined.Kefir supplementation resulted in a greater improvementof serum zonulin levels (F = 6.812, η~2 = 0.275),whereas a significant yet similar improvement in lipidprofile and serum glucose levels was found in bothsupplementations. Positive mood was slightly but significantlyenhanced with kefir supplementation, andreduced with milk supplementation. The C-reactiveprotein, adiponectin, and appetite were unaffected. Inconclusion, supplementation with both dairy productshad health beneficial effects, but only kefir showed aneffect on the intestinal barrier dysfunction marker.