Colostrum Benefits

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The first and foremost thing that must be understood about colostrum is what it isn’t, namely that colostrum is not a medication.

 

Colostrum, our first food of life, is naturally designed to maintain health and prevent disease rather than cure a disease that you already may have.

 

 So, what does it do for us as adults or for children older than babies?

 

Colostrum is incredibly effective at shutting down the cause of most disease and infection; when this occurs our body can then work to repair and rebuild the damage and allow us to enjoy an optimal health.

 

 

 

Gut Health:

The Key to Health

Colostrum is an amazing compilation of almost every element we need to maintain a healthy, functional gastrointestinal tract, which is the key to good health in general.

 

It´s well know in Life Sciences today that an ever increasing number of diseases and conditions have their origins in the gut, and are affected by the proper absorption of nutrients as the key to maintaining the body in optimum conditions.

 

One of the primary functions, if not the most important and main of colostrum is gut health. The condition of our gastrointestinal tract—the mouth, the esophagus, the stomach, and the large and small intestines—is our most important health concern due to the amount of potentially harmful material that passes through it and the fact that many, if not most, diseases originate in the gut in one way or another.

 

Yet gut health is mostly ignored unless we are suffering from diarrhea, indigestion, or other GI problems. So when the proportion of beneficial bacteria in our intestines outnumbers the harmful bacteria, our intestines are said to be in a state of orthobiosis, a term meaning “in balance” a term coined by Elie Metchnikoff.

When that proportion is out of balance for some reason and the harmful bacteria predominate, we are in a state of dysbiosis, or imbalance. Dysbiosis has several harmful consequences, including leaky gut condition, a syndrome where the permeability of the gut lining is increased so that toxins and pathogens normally excluded from passing through the gut lining now move freely into the body, which can cause or contribute to a multitude of diseases.

 

Many autoimmune conditions, such as Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis, and most food allergies can be traced to leaky gut syndrome. There are many other causes of leaky gut in addition to dysbiosis, including alcoholism, taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), aging, and excessive amounts of toxins in the gut.

Whatever the cause is, leaky gut can have serious, even life-threatening consequences.

 

Colostrum restores leaky gut to normal or close-to-normal permeability levels. It also contains growth factors and hormones to help repair damage to the intestinal lining, including damage caused by NSAIDS and other medications, and restore gut integrity. It contains massive doses of elements called immunoglobulins that help control harmful bacteria and fungi, such as Candida, to restore orthobiosis. It has been clinically proven that to control such harmful bacteria as Helicobacter pylori, which cause ulcers, and many other bacteria is a key issue in as a pivotal point for optimal health. Colostrum has also been shown to increase the surface area of the intestinal lining, improving the absorption of nutrients in a form called as pre-biotics. And there are no known side effects from using colostrum, by now.

Leaky Gut Syndrome (LGS) or Intestinal Permeability.

 

Leaky gut syndrome is the name given to a very common health disorder in which the intestinal lining is more permeable than normal. The abnormally large spaces present between the cells of the gut wall allow the entry of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other toxic material into the bloodstream. Leaky gut syndrome is at least as common as all the immune system diseases combined. Basically, it is caused by infection and the attendant inflammation of the gut lining.

 

The infection and inflammation can be brought about by any of the following:

Antibiotic use—leads to the overgrowth of abnormal bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract
NSAIDs (pain medications)
Prescription pain medications
Gastrointestinal infections
Alcohol
Genetically modified foods
Foods contaminated by parasites

Foods contaminated by bacteria, such as E. coli and salmonella
Chemicals (including dyes and preservatives) in fermented and processed foods
Prescription corticosteroids
Wheat proteins, acidic beverages
Pesticides, food preservatives, environmental toxins, etc.
An abundance of highly refined sugars and other carbohydrates in your diet (e.g., candy, cookies, soft drinks, white bread, pasta).

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LGS damages the protective coating of antibodies of the immunoglobin A (IgA) family normally present in a healthy gut. Because IgA helps us ward off infections, leaky gut problems make us less resistant to viruses, bacteria, parasites, and Candida. These microbes are then able to invade the bloodstream and colonize almost any body tissue or organ, thereby causing disease. LGS also creates a long list of mineral deficiencies because the various carrier proteins needed to transport minerals from the intestine to the blood are damaged by the inflammation process.

 

Healing, Tissue Repair, and Injury Recovery

 

Colostrum has been known for its healing abilities since earliest times, being mentioned in Egyptian hieroglyphic texts for its healing properties[JC3]. Skin cells have receptors for growth hormone and IGF- 1, showing that they have the ability to react directly to growth hormone stimulation. IGF-II, also found in colostrum, plays a similar role. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and epithelial growth factor (EGF), both found in colostrum, are important in healing skin wounds. Burns suppress the levels of IGF-1 in the affected area, which explains why colostrum, with its high concentration of IGF-1, is excellent for burn recovery.

The growth factors in colostrum also accelerate the healing of muscle, tendon, and ligament injuries, such as are commonly experienced by athletes. Colostrum’s growth factors stimulate regeneration and repair of muscle, bone, cartilage, skin, collagen, and nerve tissues, as well as RNA and DNA. This not only means faster, more complete recovery from injury and illness. It is also how colostrum stimulates age-erasing effects.

 

With prolonged use, the skin becomes more youthful, while age-spots and liver spots disappear. Sexual function is enhanced and bone density increases. Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine has shown that transforming growth factor (TGF-b) found in colostrum is also produced by osteoblasts, the cells that build bone. TgF-b was found to dramatically increase cell apoptosis (programmed cell death) among osteoclasts, the cells responsible for breaking down and reabsorbing bone. In addition to colostrum, microcrystalline hydroxyapatite and DHEA are proven to increase bone density.

 

Colostrum also helps to balance blood sugar and replenish neurotransmitters, resulting in better alertness and concentration, while enhancing mood. Both serotonin and dopamine are released in greater quantities, while their re-uptake is prolonged, allowing each molecule to work longer and more efficiently. For this reason, it is generally best to take colostrum in the morning and again sometime before about 4:00 p.m. (e.g., around lunchtime or a couple hours after).

Immune Supplementation of the Gut

 

Local protection in the form of immune supplementation with bovine colostrum antibodies has shown to be an effective means of providing local protection to the GI tract against disease. Bovine immunoglobulin in the form of specific antibody has been shown to be effective against various enteric infectious diseases. In trials, it has been successfully shown that specific antibodies in bovine colostrum are effective against both enteropathy and enterotoxin Escherichia coli, Cryptosporidium parvum, rotavirus, and Shigella flexneri.

 

Clinical research by Dr. David Tyrell in England in 1980 revealed that a high percentage of the antibodies and immunoglobulins present in colostrum are believed not to be absorbed but remain in the intestinal tract where they attack disease-causing organisms before they penetrate the body and cause disease. The remainder is believed to be absorbed and distributed to assist in our internal defense processes. It is this combination of actions that is believed to make colostrum so unique and effective as an oral supplement.

“Studies with human volunteers found that the preservation of the biological activity of IgG (Immunoglobulin), in the digestive secretions of adults receiving bovine colostrum orally, indicates passive enteral (intestinal) immunization for the prevention and treatment of acute intestinal diseases…”

 

Fitness

Studies are now showing significant gains in fitness with colostrum supplementation. A widely reported study in Australia found a 20% increase in strength, stamina, and shortened recovery time for both soccer players and cyclists. Many body builders and fitness experts say colostrum works better than any other legal substance they ever experienced.

The growth factors found in colostrum are now known to enhance muscle tone, burn off body fat, promote skin elasticity, and increase bone density. TgF-alpha and -beta (transforming growth factors) stimulate production and repair of RNA and DNA, as well as repair of damaged muscle fibers in athletes. EGF (epithelial growth factor) stimulates enhanced skin healing. IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1) is able to “promote muscle growth by itself,” according to Muscle and Fitness associate editor Steve Schwade. Bovine IGF-1 is effective in humans, differing in its structure by only 3 out of 67 amino acids, and bovine colostrum is found to be even higher in IGF-1 than human colostrum. The growth factors in colostrum stimulate protein synthesis and slow protein breakdown, resulting in increased lean muscle mass. At the same time, they shift the metabolism from burning carbohydrates to burning more fats.

High Performance Sport 

As it happens with Olympic skiers taking colostrum experienced less fatigue and improved their performance in a placebo controlled study in Finland. They also showed only half the level of blood creatine-kinase, a marker of muscle injury, compared to placebo control. Another Finnish study confirmed that athletes taking colostrum during strength and speed training did in fact show increased blood serum concentrations of IGF-1.

Overall, colostrum is considered as powerful as steroids at generating increased muscle mass when used in conjunction with exercise, but without the risks and side effects. Studies have shown that the growth factors present in colostrum increase between 2,500% to 4,000% (from 2–5 ng/mg to 50–200 ng/mg) with exposure to acidity. To gain the maximum fitness benefits from colostrum, take it in powder form (empty the capsule in your mouth or onto food) toward the end of a meal or 45 minutes before a physical workout session with a protein drink. Friendly flora, which naturally promotes a healthy acidity level in the colon, may also enhance the benefits of colostrum.

Athletic Use of Colostrum

 

 

Athletes love colostrum because the growth factors in it help burn fat while building lean muscle.

 

Colostrum builds strength and shortens recovery time. It also protects athletes from getting sick when at their most vulnerable following a vigorous workout when the immune system is temporarily disabled. Some athletes and trainers have even labeled colostrum as the “new creatine.”

 

In the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics, Australian athletes stunned the world by earning more medals than China, a nation with over 100 times as many people and potential athletes.

 

What was their secret?

                                         Colostrum!

 

Immune Health

Colostrum is unmatched as an immune system stimulant and modulator. There are numerous “one note” products lining the shelves of natural food stores that claim to stimulate the immune system.

 

Only colostrum, however, plays the whole symphony. It is not only able to stimulate the immune system in a multitude of ways but also has the ability to modulate the immune response, turning it up or down as needed. No other health food product can claim that.

 

Colostrum can pass immunity to a wide variety of disease-causing pathogens to you—no shots required! Colostrum can protect you not only from dangerous bacteria, like Salmonella, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus, but it can also protect you against a number of viruses, from colds and flu to HIV, fungi like Candida, and even protozoan parasites like giardia. Not even antibiotics can deliver that broad protection.

 

Our ability to survive in a world full of dangerous pathogens and toxins is dependent upon the ability of our immune system to neutralize and destroy these potential dangers. To accomplish this, our bodies have developed many strategies that attack or neutralize dangers in a wide variety of ways.

 

Bovine and goat colostrum is up to 40 times higher than human colostrum in these immune factors. In addition, only bovine and goat colostrum contains certain glycoproteins and protease inhibitors that naturally protect these immune factors from being digested in the intestinal tract.

 

Detoxification

 

Traditionally, detoxification requires taking a powerful herbal concoction that causes the body to dump fluids, thus flushing the system of impurities and toxins. From the point of view of colostrum, however, this is a limited and potentially dangerous concept of detoxification that puts unneeded stress on the body and can do more harm than good. Colostrum detoxifies the body beginning in the gastrointestinal tract in a much healthier and more efficacious manner. Colostrum inhibits or destroys harmful pathogens that can colonize the gut and cause major health problems, such as Helicobacter pylori, the main cause of gastric and duodenal ulcers; Candida albicans, a fungus that can overgrow the intestines, forcing out beneficial bacteria; and many other pathogens, while promoting the growth of beneficial bacterial colonies. Colostrum also acts to heal the damage to the intestinal lining caused by the pathogens and toxins that can accumulate there. This prevents pathogens and toxins from entering the body and restores normal gut functioning. Colostrum also helps protect and heal both the liver and the pancreas from the effects of toxins in the body by helping to remove dangerous toxins and by stimulating these organs to replace damaged tissue.

 

Athletic Immune Stress

Strenuous exercise associated with athletic training and competition places a tremendous strain on body systems, including the immune system. Studies on the effects of extreme exercise on the immune system have shown profound immune system changes following marathon runs or other forms of athletic performance that push the body to the limit. One study on marathon runners showed that white blood cell counts decreased dramatically after a three-hour run but returned to normal levels within 21 hours.

 

Another study on marathoners showed decreased natural killer cell activity after a race. This would suggest that athletes who push themselves to their limits are much more susceptible to infectious diseases, such as upper respiratory infections, which is indeed borne out by research. Combined with proper nutrition and rest, colostrum helps prevent this. Colostrum, with its growth and immune factors, cuts recovery time and boosts immune function, reducing the susceptibility of athletes to infection after exercise, and it can help heal “leaky gut” in athletes, which can be caused by protein supplementation.

 

Colostrum also speeds the healing of muscle, tendon, and ligament injuries. Other studies on athletes have shown that colostrum can decrease recovery times and increase anaerobic power. Colostrum supplementation also builds lean muscle tissue and burns fat.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled colostrum to be an acceptable supplement.

 

In recognition of colostrum’s natural ability to improve an athlete’s health and physical condition, the IOC ruled that colostrum is an acceptable supplement. They based their decision on the fact that although colostrum supplementation stimulates the production of IGF-1 in the body, the IGF-1 in colostrum is not actually absorbed but digested. So, colostrum emerges as an ideal supplement for athletes, whether they are Olympic athletes or weekend warriors. It builds lean muscle, burns fat, protects from disease, and heals the leaky gut condition often associated with athletic training and performance.

Weight Loss

 

Whole, first milking colostrum contains leptin (approximately 50 ng/g). Leptin, discovered in 1994, derives its name from the Greek word leptos, meaning thin. This is a polypeptide hormone produced in adipose and many other tissues with many different roles related to the inhibition of food intake and stimulation of energy expenditure. In embryology, its levels are associated with fertility and reproductive maturity in many species. There are several additional hormonal roles in the adult including satiety, adiposity, and metabolism. Higher levels of leptin as a neurotransmitter can accelerate the communication signals to stop eating sooner.

 

Colostrum also contains insulin-like growth factors. IGF-1 is the predominant of these and is in fact the real growth hormone, not GH which only stimulates the liver to produce IGF-1. IGF-1 is necessary to produce new cells. It stimulates tissue repair and recovery and lean muscle growth, increasing strength and endurance. But it also stops the digestion of our own muscle tissue to balance blood glucose to the brain in times of fast (between meals), and stimulates the utilization of stored body fats for fuel. The only supplementation for IGF-1 hormone is colostrum. The only other way to stimulate more hormone production is via weight training and endurance exercise programs.

 

Colostrum has shown it can significantly enhance our body physiology and therefore improve our appearance and vitality. To better understand colostrum’s growth factors regarding weight loss, read the sections “Athletic Performance” and “Healing, Tissue Repair, and Injury Recovery.”

 

Colostrum also contains insulin-like growth factors. IGF-1 is the predominant of these and is in fact the real growth hormone, not GH which only stimulates the liver to produce IGF-1. IGF-1 is necessary to produce new cells. It stimulates tissue repair and recovery and lean muscle growth, increasing strength and endurance. But it also stops the digestion of our own muscle tissue to balance blood glucose to the brain in times of fast (between meals), and stimulates the utilization of stored body fats for fuel. The only supplementation for IGF-1 hormone is colostrum. The only other way to stimulate more hormone production is via weight training and endurance exercise programs. Colostrum has shown it can significantly enhance our body physiology and therefore improve our appearance and vitality. To better understand colostrum’s growth factors regarding weight loss, read the sections “Athletic Performance” and “Healing, Tissue Repair, and Injury Recovery.”

 

Other Applications and More...

Topical Applications

Colostrum, mixed into a paste with water, helps the body heal injuries such as burns, cuts, abrasions, ulcers, acne, and even surgical wounds with topical application.

Topical use in the mouth helps relieve gingivitis, canker sores, and sensitive teeth and speeds recovery from dental work. It can be used in enemas and douches for help in eliminating candida and other infections.

 

The Perfect Food

Colostrum is the perfect food, combining all the crucial immune and growth factors in the exact synergistic combination necessary to promote life. For many it is considered the ideal alternative to hundreds of pharmaceutical drugs, from antibiotics to steroids. Research on colostrum has documented benefits from dosages in the range of 2 to 60 grams per day with no known contraindication, side effects or allergic reactions been reported over thousands of years of use. It is even safe for those with lactose intolerance.

Some experts recommend taking it in a divided dose (at least 1 gram twice a day) with antioxidant water on an empty stomach for maximum benefits.

Functional Food

Functional foods are defined as those foods that have potential healthful benefits beyond the traditional nutrients they may contain. As such, colostrum has great potential as a functional food that can be easily combined with other healthful food products. Whole colostrum or various components of colostrum show great promise as an additive to infant formulas, for example, as well as other dairy products, such as yogurt. To obtain colostrum’s IgF-1 growth factor benefits such as anti-aging, athletic recovery, lean muscle growth and retention, and recovery from injuries, it is best to use a colostrum powder mixed into a protein shake. For other benefits, including immunity, colostrum is most effective when in a protective capsule and taken on an empty stomach.

Anti-Aging

 

Getting a little long in the tooth? Then colostrum is for you.

 

Colostrum has many antioxidant and antiaging components to keep you in top shape longer. It helps keep skin looking young and healthy. It removes dangerous free oxygen radicals, metabolic waste products that can cause you to age more rapidly. It supplies us with growth factors and other important substances that normally decline with age, leading to cell senescence and accelerated aging.

 

Oxidation is the normal metabolism of nutrients in the body. As we age, we are less able to remove the byproducts of metabolism resulting in high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which results in oxidative stress in the tissues.

 

What this means to us is rapid aging; damage to DNA, proteins, and lipids; and cancer and degenerative diseases, including arthritis. Colostrum can help clean up these waste products and counteract their negative effects on the body. It contains a number of powerful antioxidants, including glutathione, the most powerful antioxidant known, and its chemical precursors. Glutathione itself is not absorbed through the intestinal wall, but the glutathione in colostrum still plays a major role in maintaining gastrointestinal health.

 

The precursors, cystine, glycine, and glutamic acid, are absorbed and contribute to glutathione production in the body. Colostrum reduces respiratory burst output in white blood cells (polymorpho nuclear leukocytes), which has both an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory effect. PRPs contribute to the antioxidant effect of colostrum by down regulating lipid per oxidation, inhibiting glutathione depletion, and reducing intracellular levels of ROS (reactive oxygen species). Lactoferrin also has antioxidant properties, preventing lipid peroxidation. Haemopexin is a protein found in milk and colostrum that strongly binds haem, a low molecular weight form of iron that takes part in oxidative reactions in tissues. Haemopexin can inhibit these reactions by up to 90%.

 

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