What is Colostrum?
Colostrum is the foremost immune-enhancing supplement available today. A special
"immune milk" produced by all mammals during the last few days
of pregnancy, it is designed by nature to confer and boost immunity in
young mammals. Colostrum is an incredible source of immunoglobulins, immuno-enhancing
molecules, growth-stimulating factors, nutrients, nucleotides, vitamins,
and minerals. The benefits of bovine Colostrum are now available to people
of all ages. (top)
Who should take Colostrum?
Anyone
interested in a safe, natural way to boost and enhance immunity. Studies
published in renowned biomedical journals have shown that bovine colostrum
is safe and effective for any age group (see also background
and research). It has been proven to reduce
the likelihood and severity of disease caused by common human pathogens
such as E. coli, Salmonella, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Campylobacter,
Cryptosporidium, Clostridium, Giardia, Helicobacter pylori, Shigella,
Rotavirus, HCMV, Candida, and many others.
While
colostrum is a fantastic supplement for anyone who wants to boost and
enhance their immune system, it is especially useful for some people.
Anyone suffering from, or at risk of contracting, an infection caused
by the pathogens listed above can achieve incredible results with colostrum.
Also, anyone with a depressed immune system, such as the aged, people
recovering from trauma or surgery, people with HIV/AIDS, or those suffering
from stress, need the immune support of colostrum.
Athletes
can be especially susceptible to infection, since the stress of strenuous
exercise is known to depress the immune response. Colostrum supplementation
can help athletes avoid infection and disease brought on by intense training.
Travelers
often experience 'Traveler's Disease', an unpleasant run-in with foreign
intestinal pathogens. Research has shown that colostrum is very effective
at fighting the most common causes of traveler's disease.(top)
What's in Colostrum and how does it work?
Colostrum
is rich in many different factors that boost and stimulate immunity. Colostrum
contains a very high concentration of Immunoglobulins-- protein molecules
that are a critical part of the immune system (antibodies). These molecules
recognize and bind to pathogens that invade the gastrointestinal (G.I.)
tract, preventing them from causing infection and disease. Immunoglobulins
attack bacteria, viruses, yeasts, and parasites in the G.I. tract, reducing
the likelihood and severity of infection and disease.
Colostrum
is also a rich, natural source of Lactoferrin and Transferrin. Lactoferrin
and transferrin prevent pathogenic bacteria from replicating in the G.I.
tract by removing the iron molecules that bacteria require to proliferate.
Lactoferrin attacks some bacteria directly by destabilizing the cell wall
and making them more vulnerable to attack by the rest of the immune system.
Lactoferrin is also known to attack a variety of viruses, preventing them
from entering cells to cause infection and disease.
Colostrum
contains a Proline-rich Polypeptide (PRP), which is known to have immunoregulatory
properties. It enhances immune systems with low activity, and helps to
suppress overactive immune systems. Lysozyme, Peroxidase, and other enzymes
in colostrum destroy bacteria and viruses by attacking cell walls and
protein coats, thereby decreasing the likelihood of disease. Oligosaccharides
and Glycoproteins prevent pathogens from binding to intestinal cells,
impeding the infection process. Colostrum contains a powerful combination
of growth and maturation factors, such as Insulin, Somatomedins, Somatotropin,
Fibroblast Growth Factor, Cytokines, Transforming Growth Factor, and Epithelial
Growth Factor which help repair or replace damaged intestinal cells. This
decreases the chance of disease, since pathogens are more likely to successfully
invade and infect old, damaged cells as opposed to healthy cells. (top)
I already take Echinacea. Isn't that enough?
Not
if you want effective protection. The latest scientific trials on Echinacea
have shown that it can reduce the risk of upper respiratory tract infections
by 10 - 15%. Is that good enough for you?
Consider
the immune system. It is very large and complex so that it can defend
our bodies from innumerable different invaders in many different ways.
It is essentially impossible to stimulate the entire immune system with
a single ingredient such as Echinacea. Colostrum has many different components
in it that targets the immune system (see background
for more information), making it a much more effective, broad-spectrum
supplement. (top)
What is Synermune™ Colostrum?
Synermune
Colostrum is specialized, high-quality, high-potency colostrum designed
to provide maximum immune protection and stimulation for humans. Years
of experience and research allows us to exsure that only the best colostrum
is used in Synermune™. Synermune™ is available only in select
dietary supplements from those companies that want to ensure consistent
quality and potency for their customers. (top)
I've heard that colostrum tablets are less effective than capsules or liquid. Is this true?
No.
Claims that the process of producing tablets reduces their effectiveness
as an immuno-enhancing supplement are based on the idea that the tablet-making
process produces high levels of heat. Our Colostrum tablets are produced
with a special 'cold-press' process. Very little pressure is used in the
pressing of tablets, about 1/10th the normal pressure. Combined
with other special measures, this means that the temperatures produced
in the tablet-making process remain at 63°F (17°C). It has been determined
in a recent published study that it takes temperatures of 138°F (69°C) for two hours to destroy immunoglobulin activity. Our
Colostrum Tablets are never exposed to heat levels that would destroy
the active ingredients, and they are just as effective as the colostrum
capsules and liquid. (top)
How should colostrum be taken?
Each
form of colostrum has dosage instructions on the bottle. For the Chewable
Tablets and the Herbal Synergy Formula Capsules, take one tablet or capsule
twice per day. For the Liquid Colostrum, take one teaspoon once per day
(be sure to refrigerate the Liquid Colostrum after opening).
You
should double your daily dose if you start to feel like you're coming
down with something or if you know that you have been exposed to an illness.
(top)
Where does this colostrum come from?
The
Synermune colostrum in our Colostrum supplements
only comes from USDA Grade 'A' cows. To ensure maximum potency, it is
collected only from the first milking of cows that have previously given
birth. This practice ensures that the immune-enhancing components are
at peak concentration. Cows must be certified to be free from antibiotics
at the time of milking. The colostrum has been tested for the presence
of pesticides, antibiotics, and anabolic hormones, with none detected.
Colostrum is not subjected to excessive heat during collection or processing,
which ensures that the immuno-enhancing properties are retained. (top)
Is this a high-quality product?
Absolutely.
Only 100% high-quality, high-potency Synermune colostrum is used in our
colostrum products. Our never uses colostrum whey or milk concentrates,
which are not true colostrum. The colostrum in our products is obtained
only from the best producers in the world. The cows from which the colostrum
is derived are subject to special requirements and inspections. Our
has been dealing with bovine colostrum for more than seven years. In that
time, they have investigated and dealt with many different suppliers of
raw colostrum, and continue to deal only with those suppliers that consistently
provide a high-quality, high-potency Synermune colostrum product. (top)
I've heard that North American cows are inferior as a source of colostrum. Is this true?
In
general, this is not the case. All over the world you will find suppliers
of very good colostrum and suppliers of inferior product. Please be aware
that some suppliers produce colostrum of such poor quality that they are
essentially deceiving the public. This type of supplier is not restricted
to North America, and it is not accurate to say that North American cows
are inferior.
Our colostrum supplier has been
dealing with bovine colostrum for more than seven years. In that time,
they have investigated and sampled colostrum from producers all over the
world. They have selected suppliers of raw colostrum for their ability
to consistently provide a high-quality, high-potency Synermune colostrum
product. This colostrum is in no way inferior to any colostrum on the
planet.
It
has been proposed that North American cows may be an inferior source of
raw colostrum due to their exposure to antibiotics, anabolic hormones,
and pesticides, and that cows from other areas of the world are not so
exposed. The cows that provide the Synermune colostrum for our products
are subject to special requirements. They must be antibiotic and anabolic
hormone-free at the time of collection. As for pesticides, it is an unfortunate
truth that these substances are everywhere, even having been detected
in animals living near the North Pole. It is essentially impossible to
assert that there is a herd of cows anywhere in the world that has not
been exposed to pesticides. There is a difference, however, between exposure
to these substances and the presence of pesticides and herbicides in the
colostrum of these animals. Synermune colostrum in our supplements
has been analyzed for the presence of pesticides and herbicides. There
have been NO herbicides or pesticides detected.
It
has also been proposed that pasture-fed cows from other countries
are superior sources for raw colostrum. One argument behind that idea
is that pasture-fed cows are exposed to more soil-borne bacterial organisms,
and that the colostrum from these cows provides a wider range of immune
protection because of it. This argument is incorrect for two reasons:
1) Soil bacteria are everywhere. It is impossible to prevent exposure
to a wide range of bacteria, and so it is not possible to accurately state
that colostrum from pasture-fed cows protects against a broader range
of pathogens. 2) North American humans will seldom, if ever, be exposed
to many of the same bacteria as cows in a pasture on another continent.
It is quite likely, however, that you will be exposed to many of the same
soil-borne pathogens as North American cows. North American cows, whose
colostrum will contain immune factors designed to destroy these organisms,
are therefore a superior source of colostrum, in this respect.
Another
argument used to promote colostrum from foreign sources is the idea that
soil-borne bacteria are ingested by the cows, transferred to colostrum,
and then into the human bowel, where they play a beneficial role in digestion.
This argument is also incorrect for two reasons: 1) Any soil-borne organism
that enters the cow's bloodstream through the intestinal tract will cause
an immune response in the host cow, meaning that its body will attack
and destroy the intruder. These bacteria would not only have to survive
the cow's immune response, they would also have to move into the colostrum
by crossing over a barrier designed to stop them. The colostrum will contain
many immunoglobulins and other factors designed to kill these bacteria.
It is simply not possible for both bacteria and the colostrum, which contains
factors designed to kill these bacteria, to survive and function together.
2) Even if it were somehow possible for bacteria to travel in colostrum
to the human intestinal tract, it is very unlikely that they would be
able to survive there. While the human intestinal tract is home to many
bacteria, it is not an easy place to invade and the conditions of the
human intestine are not suitable for the survival of most foreign organisms.
After all, the human immune system is designed to attack and destroy intruders,
such as bacteria. Also, those bacteria already present in the intestinal
tract exist in great numbers, and are able to prevent most new microorganisms
from gaining a foothold.
The
last argument for foreign pasture-fed cows is that they may be exposed
to more plant enzymes, and that these enzymes somehow aid in human assimilation
of colostrum. Again, this is not the case. It is impossible for
plant enzymes to make it into colostrum, let alone into the human intestinal
tract. Any basic physiology text will explain that plant enzymes that
cows eat are broken down into their amino-acid building blocks by the
cows' digestive processes before being absorbed into the bloodstream.
These building blocks may be used to form the natural cow enzymes found
in colostrum, but there will be no plant enzymes present. Any healthy
cow getting a complete, nutritious diet will produce all the enzymes and
other molecules needed for complete immune protection by colostrum.
In
summary, North American cows are in no way inferior as a source of raw
colostrum. In fact, an argument can be made that they are superior to
cows from other continents. The idea that North American cows are inferior
is promoted by those with a commercial interest in selling colostrum from
cows from another continent. The arguments used to support this idea are
flawed, and are based on incorrect information. They have no basis in
science. (top)
I've heard that colostrum won't work because it isn't absorbed by the body.
Is that true?
No.
Colostrum doesn't need to be absorbed into your bloodstream in order to
provide immune protection and stimulation. The antibodies (immunoglobulins)
in colostrum attack invading organisms right in the gastrointestinal (G.I.)
tract, preventing them from causing infection and disease. They don't
need to get into your bloodstream to work. The many growth and maturation
factors in colostrum are also able to function right in the G.I. tract
by binding to specific receptors found on cells throughout the G.I. tract.
This is how these factors are able to stimulate growth and maturation
of the intestinal cells. A scientific study has shown that oral supplementation
with colostrum resulted in an increase in plasma levels of insulin-like
growth factor (IGF). It is not known whether the binding of the factors
in colostrum to receptors in the G.I. tract signaled the body to produce
more of its own IGF, or if the IGF from colostrum was absorbed. In either
case, the result was the same.
Colostrum
does not need to be absorbed by the body in order to work, as evidenced
by the research on the effects of colostrum and by the many people who
use colostrum. (top)
Does
colostrum have to have all of its fat removed in order to be effective?
No.
It has been said that the fat in Colostrum makes the product insoluble
in water, and that this makes Colostrum less useful as a supplement.
This just isn't true. There is very little difference in solubility between
natural and fatless colostrum. Colostrum contains only a small
amount of fat to begin with and if you were to mix Colostrum powder
and fatless colostrum side by side in two glasses of water, you would
have a very hard time telling one from the other. Colostrum is
very water-soluble. Colostrum powder, tablets, and capsules are all made
of colostrum that has simply had the water removed. The colostrum was
water soluble to begin with, so why would it be any different once it
has been dried? Removing fat only removes the fat-soluble vitamins
that are found in Colostrum.
Remember
that colostrum is designed by nature to provide the maximum possible benefit
to vulnerable newborns. It wouldn't make sense for the fat in colostrum
to be detrimental to the function of colostrum.
As
for the human use of bovine colostrum, our bodies are designed to deal
with a mixture of fat, protein, carbohydrates, and other nutrients. As
food passes through the gastrointestinal (G.I.) tract it is thoroughly
mixed by the muscular contractions of the stomach and intestines. This
mixing ensures that all of the components of the food are spread over
the entire surface of the G.I. tract. The presence of some fat does not
render this mixing process ineffective. For colostrum, this means that
the antibodies (immunoglobulins) and other immune-enhancing factors in
colostrum are spread throughout the entire G.I. tract, enabling them to
provide optimum immune protection and enhancement. (top)
Is
it safe?
Colostrum
is considered safe for people of all ages. Scientific studies on the effects
of colostrum supplementation have included subjects ranging in age from
infant to adult, with no reported adverse effects.
Colostrum
should be treated as a milk product. People with milk allergies are advised
to use appropriate caution.
Due
to the presence of herbal extracts in the Herbal Synergy Formula, it is
recommended that you consult a physician prior to feeding to children
under four years of age.
As
with any product with herbal ingredients, pregnant or lactating women
are advised to consult a physician prior to consumption of the Herbal
Synergy Formula. (top)