Living in today’s world is challenging. Active participation in your health journey is essential and so is foundational nutrition.
What Exactly Is Colostrum?
First and foremost, colostrum is NOT milk. People often confuse colostrum and milk, but that’s because both come from the female breast and provide nutrition for the newborn. Nursing females produce colostrum for about 72 hours after their babies are born, after which, the colostrum tapers off and true breastmilk is produced. Colostrum, whether from a human mother or any other mammal, serves to provide beneficial bacteria, enhance immunity, promote growth and development, and, most importantly, seal up the microscopic holes in the newborn’s gut lining (“leaky gut”). The unique bioactive components in colostrum function synergistically to enhance a newborn’s survival and ability to thrive. In tandem with colostrum’s very important biological functions, colostrum can be viewed as a mother’s gift of love to her newborn child.What Exactly Is in Colostrum?
In a nutshell, lots of good things. Depending on whom you ask, the actual number of unique components ranges from 90 to several hundred. This is due to the various immunoglobulins, specific antibodies, and peptide complexes. Although it’s possible to define colostrum by its discernable components, colostrum should be thought of as the sum of its parts, hence, its synergy within the body. Three broad categories include immune bioactives, growth factors, and nutritional factors, which can be subdivided further: · Immune bioactives influence or regulate the immune system. · Growth factors promote cellular and tissue growth and repair. · Nutritional factors provide the building blocks for cellular functions and energy production.Immune Bioactives Orchestrate the Functions of the Immune System
· Immunoglobulins: These bind to pathogenic microorganisms on the mucosal surfaces of the gastrointestinal tract and prevent them from replicating, or colonizing. Of the various types of immunoglobulins, IgG, IgA, and IgM are the most biologically important in colostrum, and IgG is the most abundant immunoglobulin in bovine colostrum specifically. · Specific antibodies: These are generated when the female cow is exposed to a pathogen in the air or soil. Her antibodies are then transferred into her colostrum. · Proline-rich polypeptides (PRPs): These short chains of peptides contain a high concentration of the amino acid proline. PRPs function as signaling molecules, and have the ability to stimulate or tone down the immune response. · Cytokines: These small proteins regulate the intensity and duration of the immune response, thereby returning the body to immune homeostasis more expeditiously. · Lactoferrin: This protein deprives pathogenic microorganisms of the iron they otherwise need to replicate. · Lysozyme and lactoperoxidase: These enzymes work independently, or in tandem with lactoferrin to destroy pathogenic microorganisms. · Oligosaccharides: These complex sugar molecules compete against bacterial pathogens and prevent pathogens from attaching to the gut wall and entering the bloodstream.Growth Factors Ensure the Integrity of the Body’s Tissues and Organs
These proteins and steroid hormones act as signaling molecules and play an important role in maintaining tissues, regeneration, and repair of damaged tissues within the human body. They play a role in stimulating cell growth, cell proliferation, cell differentiation, and cell migration, which helps optimize several functions, including: 1) maturing the newborn’s leaky gut; 2) repairing leaky gut in children and adults; 3) maintaining or increasing muscle, bone, tendon, and ligament tissue; 4) accelerating healing of injured or aging muscle, bone, cartilage, skin, nerves, and heart; 5) increasing collagen production; 6) stimulating growth of blood vessels into damaged areas for increased circulation; 7) metabolizing adipose tissue as a fuel source; and 8) balancing blood glucose levels between meals.Nutritional Factors Fuel the Body and Support Metabolic Health
Colostrum, just like any dairy food (remember, it’s not milk), contains carbohydrates, protein, and fats, as well as vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. These supply vital nutrition, calories (energy), and the building blocks of substances necessary for a well-functioning body. The relative percentage of carbohydrates, protein, and fats differs between bovine colostrum and bovine milk because each substance serves a different purpose; the nutritional needs of a newborn calf are different from that of an older calf. The fat and protein content are highest right after the female gives birth and become less prominent later on as lactose (“milk sugar”) content increases.Human vs. Bovine Colostrum
A mother’s colostrum is a powerhouse of immune bioactives and growth factors because it serves some very important functions within the first few days of life outside the womb. Even though colostrum from dairy cows and colostrum from human mothers contains many of the same bioactive components, there are differences in the relative quantities. The primary difference lies in the manner of how their offspring enter the world and how quickly each species needs to “join their herd.” When calves are born, their mothers’ colostrum provides a concentrated burst of immunity and growth-promotion, so they can get up on their feet rather quickly after birth. In other non-domesticated mammals, such as gazelle, elk, and related species, this function helps protect them from succumbing to predation. These mammals must get up, steady themselves, and join their herd, which helps protect them from becoming food for the predators waiting on an easy meal.Human infants have a much longer developmental period before they join their herd. A helpless newborn will not survive without human interaction and care for several years. Transferring immunity from mother to infant occurs at a much slower rate as she breastfeeds over a period of many months, or even years. Breastfeeding duration is often determined by social and cultural norms, familial support, job constraints, and a mother’s own ability and/or desire to breastfeed for an extended period of time.
Because bovine colostrum provides a concentrated burst of immunity and growth-promotion, it’s ideal for human use. It provides the necessary synergistic components to promote gut integrity and homeostasis and to maintain a healthy, balanced immune response. Only people with a true milk protein allergy—one that causes anaphylaxis—should avoid taking bovine colostrum supplements. Most people with lactose sensitivity or lactose intolerance can safely consume a bovine colostrum supplement, albeit in smaller quantities until well-tolerated. Although bovine colostrum is its own distinct food, separate from cow’s milk, it may not be suitable for vegans and some vegetarians.
To dispel any concerns, it should be noted that the ethical harvesting of bovine colostrum occurs only after the baby calf has drunk its fill from its mother. Fortunately for humans, dairy cows are prolific colostrum producers, and the amount that can be ethically harvested is quite a lot. Beyond the ethical treatment of animals, survival of the herd is paramount. Female calves that grow up healthy and strong will go on to become colostrum and milk producers themselves; male calves will grow up to satisfy American consumers’ appetite for beef. So, drink up!
Liposomal bovine colostrum is a powerful and natural tool which complements your proactive and comprehensive approach to wellness. Colostrum supplementation can offer you a realistic strategy to help combat man-made toxicity which plagues us today. It’s an enormous problem with a relatively simple solution – getting back to basics and re-connecting with Mother Nature. The humble bovine, now domesticated, is the one species that is celebrated and revered throughout human history. Dairy cows provided sustenance during dangerous and uncertain times. Today, in dangerous and uncertain times, bovine colostrum provides a measure of confidence that you are doing your very best to take care of yourself and your family. Think of liposomal bovine colostrum as a health insurance policy sitting on your pantry shelf. Common sense tells you it’s unwise to go without insurance, so be sure to stay the course with your daily colostrum regimen. Every day, the battle within your gut becomes a bit easier. Your gut barrier becomes a bit stronger and less leaky. Your microbiome becomes a bit more balanced. And your immune system becomes a bit more robust. Assert your health sovereignty. Your gut and your body will thank you.
