Impact of exercise on epithelial injury of gastrointestinal membrane associated with levels of circulating I-FABP - A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trial

Aim: Intense exercise promotes intestinal injury in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and a substantial upsurge in intestinal permeability indicating gut barrier dysfunction. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis Objective: The goal line for this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the consequence of a strenuous workout session on Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) injury of gastrointestinal membrane and permeability in healthy persons. Methods: Through May 2023, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched. Studies were included evaluating intestinal Fatty Acid Binding Protein (I-FABP) of gut permeability and gut cell injury following a solitary strenuous workout. Results: 18 studies showed a mean difference of 488.36 [ 95% CI 280.35; 696.37] in I-FABP post-exercise using a random effects model. The studies were heterogeneous, with a 95% prediction interval of − 427.52 to 1404.24. I-FABP, as a measure of gut injury, had a significant and moderate impact magnitude in disturbing the epithelial lining of the intestinal membrane. Conclusion: This project's decisions establish that a sole strenuous exercise session elevates gut permeability and damage to healthy contributors. The study has been registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023387126).