Oral delivery compositions for improved gut barrier protection and immunity in mammals
Compositions containing probiotics and a nitric oxide precursor such as L-arginine to enhance nitric oxide production in animals and methods for improving immunity, gut barrier functions, and gut health and treating gastroenteritis and mucositis in animals using same.
1. A method of improving gut health in an animal, the method comprising orally administering to an animal in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of an oral ingestible composition, wherein: the composition comprises effective amounts of active ingredients; and the active ingredients comprise a probiotic and a nitric oxide precursor, and wherein the probiotic comprises Bacillus coagulans or Bacillus licheniformis.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the probiotic comprises a combination of Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus licheniformis , and Bacillus subtilis.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the probiotic is included in the composition in an amount from about 0.15% w/w to about 15% w/w.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nitric oxide precursor comprises L-arginine.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nitric oxide precursor is included in the composition in an amount from about 0.015% w/w to about 1.5% w/w.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oral ingestible composition further comprises beta glucan.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oral ingestible composition further comprises vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin E.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oral ingestible composition further comprises a prebiotic.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oral ingestible composition is in the form of a soft dough composition with the active ingredients evenly distributed throughout.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oral ingestible composition is in the form of a dispersible powder.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oral ingestible composition is in the form of a dispersible powder and is added to a foodstuff prior to the administering.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the foodstuff is a solid foodstuff.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the animal is an animal exhibiting detectable signs of stress.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the animal is an animal suffering from gastroenteritis.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the animal is an animal suffering from mucositis.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the nitric oxide precursor is L-arginine and is included in the composition in an amount from about 0.015% w/w to about 1.5% w/w;
the probiotic is included in the composition in an amount from about 0.15% w/w to about 15% w/w; and
the composition is administered to the animal in an amount from about 0.02 g/kg animal body weight/day to about 2 g/kg animal body weight/day for a period of at least two consecutive days.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered in an amount and for a time effective to reduce a value of a parameter selected from the group consisting of phenol concentration and indole concentration in feces of the animal with respect to a value of the parameter in the feces of the animal not administered the oral ingestible composition but otherwise subjected to identical conditions.