Gastrointestinal permeability following aspirin intake and prolonged running

We sought to evaluate the effects of exercise and aspirin on gastroduodenal and intestinal permeability. Seven volunteers (age = 29 +/- 3 yr; VO2max = 56.8 +/- 4.1 ml . kg(-1). min(-1)) rested or performed treadmill exercise (60 min at similar to 68% VO2max), with or without aspirin ingestion. Placebo (glucose) or aspirin (1.3 g) was taken the night before and prior to rest or exercise (total 2.6 g). A permeability test solution (similar to 1300 mOsm . kg(-1)), containing 10 g lactulose (L), 5 g mannitol (M), and 10 g sucrose (S), was ingested prior to rest or exercise. Urinary excretion rates (6 . h(-1)), expressed as a percentage of ingested dose, were used to quantify intestinal (L/M ratio) or gastroduodenal (S) permeability. Ingestion of aspirin before running increased (P < 0.05) intestinal permeability compared to placebo + running and placebo + rest, but not compared to aspirin + rest; mean (+/-SE) values for the L/M ratio were 0.248 +/- 0.046, 0.029 +/- 0.012, 0.012 +/- 0.004, and 0.104 +/- 0.057, respectively. Gastroduodenal permeability following aspirin + running (3.25 +/- 1.21%) was also elevated (P ( 0.05) compared to placebo + running (0.43 +/- 0.15%) and placebo + rest (0.24 +/- 0.11%), but not compared to aspirin + rest (0.66 +/- 0.27%). Neither running nor aspirin ingestion was associated with gastrointestinal (CI) complaints. Thus, GI permeability while running can be markedly elevated by aspirin ingestion.