Metasilicate-based alkaline mineral water improves the growth performance of weaned piglets by maintaining gut-liver axis homeostasis through microbiota-mediated secondary bile acid pathway.

ABSTRACT: Weaning stress causes substantial economic loss in the swine industry. Moreover, weaning-induced intestinal barrier damage and dysfunction of the gut-liver axis are associated with reduced growth performance in piglets. Metasilicate-based alkaline mineral water (AMW) has shown potential therapeutic effects on gastrointestinal disorders; however, the mechanisms involved and their overall effects on the gut-liver axis have not been explored. Here, sodium metasilicate (SMS) was used to prepare metasilicate-based AMW (basal water + 500 mg/L SMS). A total of 240 newly weaned piglets were allocated to the Control and SMS groups (6 replicate pens per group and 20 piglets per pen) for a 15-day trial period. Histopathological evaluations were conducted using hematoxylin and eosin staining. To analy

SUBMITTER: Chen J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11821399 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature