By Dr. Linda J. Dobberstein, DC, Board Certified in Clinical Nutrition
Colostrum is a functional food and a rich source of highly valuable nutrients for all ages. It is the first mother’s milk “liquid gold” that is essential for the development of a newborn’s immune system, as well as growth and development. Colostrum also supplies nourishment and repair benefits for immune, respiratory, and gastrointestinal health in all ages. Furthermore, it has several other benefits when you are worn down from work, athletic training, or other age-stress related changes. Colostrum is a powerful biologically active functional food.
Colostrum: A Fountain of Immune Modulating Nutrients
Your immune system needs a fountain of nutrients to get started after birth and to keep healthy with stress and aging. Colostrum supplies essential biologically active compounds necessary for staying well at all ages of life. Nutrients found in colostrum include proteins, vitamins, minerals, oligosaccharides, glycoproteins, and peptides with anti-microbial activity, immunoglobulins, lactoferrin, growth factors, and more.
Vitamins and Minerals
Bovine colostrum is a richer source of nutrients than traditional dairy milk. Colostrum contains small amounts calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, sulfur, manganese, and vitamins A, C, D, E, K, and B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, folate, and choline. These nutrients are essential for all your physiology.
Prebiotic for Gut Health
Colostrum contains oligosaccharides which are a type of carbohydrate. Oligosaccharides act as a prebiotic in the colon where they provide nourishment for the beneficial bacteria and help establish a healthy gut microbiome.
Glycoproteins from bovine colostrum contain glycomacropeptides (GMPs) which promote the growth of the beneficial bacteria Bifidobacterium longum infantis.
GMPs also act as a prebiotic, supporting the growth of beneficial flora in your gut microbiome and increasing the production of postbiotic short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate. These compounds are critical for intestinal lining repair, weight management and metabolism, and more. GMPs inhibit the growth of non-beneficial bacteria. GMPs are also found in whey protein.
Proline rich polypeptide complexes (PRPs) are also found in colostrum. PRPs have been found to help activate a weakened, fatigued immune system. They aid in stabilizing and bringing homeostasis to your immune system by reducing free radicals and oxidative stress.
Other Bioactive Compounds: Immunoglobulins
Colostrum contains several other bioactive compounds for biological immune activity and metabolism. These include immunoglobulins (IgM, IgA, IgE, Ig D, and IgG), lactoferrin, and numerous growth factors.
Immunoglobulins provide passive immunity as well as modulation of the adaptive and innate immune systems. Immunoglobulins, most notably IgG, bind onto foreign substances and germs and stop them from adhering to the intestinal lining and entering the blood stream. IgG fuels the growth and repair of cells within the gut and improves intestinal barrier integrity.
Immunoglobulin IgA is required for all mucosal barriers, i.e., gut, sinus, throat, lungs, eyes, and genitourinary tract. Immunoglobulins activate T cells and B cells against current and future immune threats as well as engage macrophages to destroy pathogens. These immunoglobulin compounds in first bovine colostrum reduce intestinal permeability, otherwise known as leaky gut syndrome.
Lactoferrin for Immune Health
Lactoferrin is another compound in colostrum that provides several immune modulating activities. It binds onto LPS, a toxin produced by bacteria, and provides other means of protection against microbes. It supports immune health and modulation of inflammatory cytokines in the gut and respiratory systems in infants, children, and adults of all ages. Lactoferrin, along with other compounds in colostrum, aids in the production of antimicrobial factors and helps to both stimulate and inhibit immune responses in supportive ways.
Growth Factors
Several primary growth factors are present in colostrum. Insulin-like growth factors are the most abundant. These compounds are involved with cell growth and proliferation, tissue repair and anti-inflammatory activities, as well as metabolism of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
Strengthening the Immune System
These various nutrients found in colostrum provide important support during times of stress at any age. Whether it is staying up late to complete a work project, nursing a sick family member, or an all-nighter during exams, you get run down and may not feel your best. Nourishing your body with colostrum can help fortify your immune, respiratory, and gastrointestinal systems and keep you strong during challenging times.
A 2023 randomized, triple blind, placebo-controlled trial in medical students demonstrates colostrum’s excellent effectiveness in immune and respiratory health when overworked. Healthy, young, busy medical students with increased contact with infectious agents were given a placebo or 0.5-1.0 gm/day bovine colostrum during the clinical trial. Students who received the colostrum supplement experienced improved overall well-being and fewer respiratory concerns compared to those who received the placebo.
Athletes and Colostrum
Colostrum is also a popular supplement used by athletes. Training for an event or a busy sports season often leaves athletes run down and fatigued. Immune vitality, gut lining integrity, and recovery capacities become compromised as your body becomes worn down from overtraining or a long season of competition.
A recent clinical trial in elite young female basketball players evaluated the use of colostrum and its effects. Results showed statistically significant improvement in interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels and lower creatine kinase levels in the athletes who received colostrum. This may improve exercise recovery time.
IL-10 is a cytokine that plays pivotal roles in the immune system and inflammation management. It decreases antigen presentation and down regulates other pro-inflammatory cytokines. Creatine kinase is an indicator of muscle fiber damage.
Athletes often experience changes in intestinal lining integrity due to the stress of the activities. Other review studies show strong evidence for protection of gut lining integrity, reduction of intestinal permeability, and improved immune resilience in athletes.
A different clinical trial demonstrated positive benefits with colostrum supplementation in elite female athletes. Those who received the colostrum compared to the placebo were found to have lower levels of free radicals, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses. The dosage used was 3.2 grams of bovine colostrum per day for six months.
Research shows that use of colostrum supplements works best in athletes when used throughout the sports season and during the winter to fortify or maintain the immune function. It helped to offset the effects of getting run down after intense stress and exercise when used long-term.
Antibiotics, NSAIDs, and Other Medications and Stress
Another valuable use of colostrum and lactoferrin was found in a 2023 review study. Individuals who supplemented with colostrum while using antibiotics, NSAIDs, corticosteroids, etc. during chronic stress events experienced greater quality of wellness and recovery than those who used the medications alone. Bovine colostrum also provides potent antioxidant and immune-microbial management for those undergoing other health challenges.
One More Thing: Bones and Colostrum
Colostrum benefits are also found in other tissues and organs. Recent animal studies in rats evaluated the effect of colostrum on bone density. Female and male rats had their reproductive organs removed and were given bovine colostrum. Results showed increased bone formation, improvements in bone micro-architecture, strength, and cellular metabolism with colostrum supplementation for four months in the female rats.
Colostrum Supplements
Colostrum is a go-to nutrient for individuals of all ages for many reasons – perhaps more than you realized! Colostrum is in Wellness Resources Super Immune Booster and LeptiSlim. Both are customer favorites!
Super Immune Booster contains 1200 mg of bovine colostrum per serving. It is standardized for 30% IgG immunoglobulins. It also contains arabinogalactan (a prebiotic), olive leaf extract, and beta glucan from Maitake mushrooms. This product has been a customer favorite for decades and is excellent daily immune support for the whole family.
Colostrum is also in LeptiSlim, which provides blood sugar and metabolic support. Colostrum supports healthy metabolism and enhances thyroid hormone activation.
Colostrum is a functional food for all ages. It is great for the immune system, gut, and respiratory health as well as many other facets of health! Give Super Immune Booster a try for the winter season! It is one of my favorites!
