Tara gum and probiotic mix for gut barrier in people
What it found
In healthy people, a mix of tara gum and a probiotic increased gut exopolysaccharides and lowered measures of intestinal permeability.
The trial was small and lasted 30 days with a 2-week follow-up.
What they found
Studies in people
Exopolysaccharides in faeces
The active group had a significant increase in faecal exopolysaccharide concentration compared with placebo, from 0.169 mg/g to 0.633 mg/g after 30 days.
Small intestine permeability
The lactulose/mannitol ratio decreased from 0.021 in the active group to 0.014 and 0.015 after 30 and 45 days, respectively, compared with placebo.
Colonic permeability
The sucralose concentration decreased from 35.8 mg to 27.9 mg and 29.1 mg at the end of supplementation and after follow-up, compared with placebo.
Placebo group
No significant differences were recorded in the placebo group after 30 days or at the end of the follow-up.
What the authors conclude
“The association of the EPSs produced by S. thermophilus ST10 and tara gum seems capable of significantly improving the intestinal functional barrier in healthy subjects.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that the association of the EPSs produced by S. thermophilus ST10 and tara gum seems capable of significantly improving the intestinal functional barrier in healthy subjects.
- They advise that a wider study in subjects presenting impaired gut permeability would be useful in the future to confirm the positive results from this pilot trial.
- They state that their findings are consistent with the parallel increase in exopolysaccharide concentration in the faecal material, suggesting the effective ability of the strain used to secrete EPSs in the gut lumen.
How it was done
The authors wanted to see if a gelling complex of tara gum and Streptococcus thermophilus ST10 could improve the gut's physiological barrier, since gums may form gels that spread over the inner intestinal surface.
Twenty-five healthy subjects aged 21 to 57 were randomised into two groups: 13 took a formulation with 250 mg tara gum and 1 billion viable cells of S. thermophilus ST10 daily for 30 days, and 12 took a placebo. Faecal exopolysaccharides and intestinal permeability were measured at the start, after 30 days, and after a 2-week follow-up.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This was a small pilot trial in healthy people, so the results may not apply to people with impaired gut permeability or to larger groups.
- The study lasted only 30 days with a 2-week follow-up, so it cannot show what happens over longer periods.
The paper
- Title
- Assessment of the capability of a gelling complex made of tara gum and the exopolysaccharides produced by the microorganism Streptococcus thermophilus ST10 to prospectively restore the gut physiological barrier: a pilot study
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Del Piano M, Balzarini M, Carmagnola S, et al (2014). Assessment of the capability of a gelling complex made of tara gum and the exopolysaccharides produced by the microorganism Streptococcus thermophilus ST10 to prospectively restore the gut physiological barrier: a pilot study. Journal of clinical gastroenterology. doi:10.1097/MCG.0000000000000254PubMed 25291130DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error