Condition
Short Bowel Syndrome (SBS)
Short bowel syndrome means too little working small intestine remains, so the body struggles to absorb food, fluid and nutrients. Evidence is strongest for teduglutide, and reviews of 16 studies found many people needed less intravenous nutrition or fluid support, with 74% reaching at least a fifth less after two years. Colostrum's evidence is limited: one small trial of eight people found improved muscle mass.
Sources: PMID 25883117; PMID 35215445; PMID 22828734
- Supplements studied
- 1
- Medicines and peptides
- 1
- Graded outcomes
- 6
- Trials
- 1
- People studied
- 8
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle Mass Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 1 study | 8 people | ||
Studies that measured muscle mass | ||||||
| Weight | Improves (the measure goes down) | 5 studies | 8 people | |||
Studies that measured weight
| ||||||
Prescription medicines and peptides studied, for context
Teduglutide (Gattex)
- Parenteral Support Reduction: improves
- Parenteral Nutrition Independence: improves
- Intestinal Absorption: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parenteral Support Reduction 74% achieved 20%+ PS volume reduction at 2 years. Real-world: 36.6% reduction at 48 weeks, up to 79.3% reduction after 1 year. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Large effect | 11 studies | |||
| Parenteral Nutrition Independence 10-26% of patients achieved complete parenteral nutrition independence (enteral autonomy) with teduglutide treatment. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | 11 studies | |||
| Intestinal Absorption Significant improvement in intestinal wet weight absorption capacity demonstrated in acute and chronic studies. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Large effect | 11 studies | |||
| Treatment Response Rate 65% response rate in Phase III clinical trials. Response defined as 20% reduction or 1-day reduction in parenteral support. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Large effect | 10 studies | |||
| Infusion Days per Week Significant reduction in required parenteral infusion days per week, improving quality of life and reducing catheter-related complications. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 9 studies |
Key findings
- Muscle MassImproves (the measure goes up)
The Short Bowel Syndrome protocol
1 primary supplement · 3 supporting supplements
- Glutamine15–30 g daily (divided doses)
Shop the evidence-backed picks
Support alongside medical care. These supplements are not a treatment for Short Bowel Syndrome (SBS). If you are being treated for it, talk to your clinician before adding one: supplements can interact with medicines.
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Studies cited
20 studies from PubMed
- [Review of real-life teduglutide experience].
- Adult patients with short bowel syndrome treated with teduglutide: A descriptive cohort study
- Use of Teduglutide in Children With Intestinal Failure: A Systematic Review.
- Efficacy of Teduglutide for Parenteral Support Reduction in Patients with Short Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
- Translation of Evidence Into Practice With Teduglutide in the Management of Adults With Intestinal Failure due to Short-Bowel Syndrome: A Review of Recent Literature.
- GLP-2 analog teduglutide significantly reduces need for parenteral nutrition and stool frequency in a real-life setting
- Teduglutide for the treatment of short bowel syndrome - a safety evaluation
- Teduglutide: A Review in Short Bowel Syndrome.
- Teduglutide for Safe Reduction of Parenteral Nutrient and/or Fluid Requirements in Adults: A Systematic Review.
- Acute effects of the glucagon-like peptide 2 analogue, teduglutide, on intestinal adaptation in short bowel syndrome
- Teduglutide: a review of its use in the treatment of patients with short bowel syndrome.
- Teduglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-2 analog for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, including short bowel syndrome
- Clinical trial simulations in pediatric patients using realistic covariates: application to teduglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-2 analog in neonates and infants with short-bowel syndrome
- Teduglutide for the treatment of short bowel syndrome
- Randomised controlled trial of colostrum to improve intestinal function in patients with short bowel syndrome
- Oral bovine colostrum supplementation enhances buffer capacity but not rowing performance in elite female rowers
- The effect of bovine colostrum supplementation on exercise performance in elite field hockey players
- Effect of bovine colostrum on anaerobic exercise performance and plasma insulin-like growth factor I
- Effect of bovine colostrum supplementation on the composition of resistance trained and untrained limbs in healthy young men
- The effects of bovine colostrum supplementation on body composition and exercise performance in active men and women