The Background Behind Colostrum

Introduction

Colostrum is a specialized pre-milk secretion of the mammary gland. It is produced by all mammals during the last weeks of pregnancy, and is the first food available to the newborn. Its most important function in nature is to boost and stimulate the immune system. Colostrum is an incredible source of immunoglobulins, nutrients, vitamins and minerals, nucleotides, immunoenhancing molecules and growth stimulating factors, and is vital to the newborn’s health, nutrition, and development. Colostrum has been called ‘White Gold’ because of its critical role in maintaining and enhancing the health and immunity of vulnerable newborns.

The benefits of colostrum can now be enjoyed by people of all ages.  Bovine colostrum, which is even richer in immune-enhancing factors than human colostrum, is available as a potent immune-enhancing supplement. The structures of the immunoglobulins, nutrients, immunoenhancing molecules and growth factors in bovine colostrum are nearly identical to those found in human colostrum.  The molecules are, therefore, able to function very effectively in the human body. The benefits of supplementation with bovine colostrum have been proven in studies published in peer-reviewed biomedical journals, as will be described below.

Components of Colostrum

Colostrum is an extremely rich source of Immunoglobulins (Ig). Immunoglobulins are protein molecules that are able to bind to pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and parasites, and are a vital constituent of the immune system. The immunoglobulins from colostrum agglutinate (clump) bacteria, viruses, and parasites that enter the intestine - the site of infection for up to 90% of disease - facilitating their removal before they cause disease. Immunoglobulins also decrease infection and disease by preventing pathogens from binding to intestinal surfaces. Many pathogens must bind to surface receptors on intestinal cells before colonization and infection can occur, and so prevention of binding by immunoglobulins reduces the incidence of infection.

The concentration of immunoglobulins in bovine colostrum is up to 240 times that of milk. The main form of Ig in colostrum, known as IgG, normally accounts for 15% of the total weight of colostrum. Synermune™ contains colostrum that has been concentrated so that the immunoglobulins account for up to 25% of dry weight, increasing the ability to enhance immunity.

Many pathogenic bacteria require the presence of free iron molecules in the gut in order to grow and reproduce at a high rate. The iron-binding glycoproteins Lactoferrin and Transferrin found in colostrum slow pathogen growth by sequestering free iron molecules in the gut and moving the iron into the bloodstream. Slowing pathogen growth allows more time for the body to clear the pathogen, and therefore decreases the chance of infection. Lactoferrin also attacks pathogens directly by destabilizing the coat membranes of gram-negative bacteria, which allows the body to attack them more successfully. It has been shown that lactoferrin increases the ability of neutrophils, cellular components of the immune system, to attack and destroy bacterial invaders. Lactoferrin has recently been proven to exhibit anti-viral properties against several different viruses, most likely by attaching to the virus and preventing it from entering the body’s cells. Recent research has indicated that lactoferrin may bind to receptors in the intestine and act as a signal to stimulate the immune system.

Colostrum contains other constituents with antibacterial and antiviral properties
A) Oligosaccharides and Glycoproteins compete with pathogenic bacteria for binding sites on the intestinal epithelium.  As described above, pathogens attach to binding sites in the intestine prior to colonization and infection. Competition for these binding sites results in fewer opportunities for pathogenic attachment, colonization, and infection.
B) The enzymes Lysozyme and Peroxidase aggressively attack and destroy the cell walls of pathogenic bacteria, and the protein coat of some viruses.
C) Also present in colostrum is a Proline-Rich Polypeptide (PRP), which is known to have immunoregulatory properties.  It enhances those immune systems which exhibit low responsiveness, and helps to suppress hyperactivated immune systems. PRP also stimulates the production of a class of glycoproteins known as interferons. These molecules act as a signal to healthy cells that a virus is present, and result in the development of anti-viral proteins and virus resistance. For instance, Interferon increases the activity of the enzyme nitric oxide synthase, which produces a substance, nitric oxide, that destroys viruses.
D) The Cytokines IL-1, IL-2 and IL-6, present in colostrum, are also fundamental components of the immune system.  They have been shown to enhance B- and T-cell maturation and to increase the level of endogenous antibody production. They are required to fight systemic infections and to protect against septic shock.

Colostrum contains a number of growth and maturation factors.  Somatomedins (IGF-1 and IGF-2), Somatotropin, Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF), Transforming Growth Factors A and B (TGF-A and TGF-B), Platelet-Derived Growth Factor (PDGF), and Epithelial Growth Factor (EGF) form a powerful combination. These naturally occurring substances have been shown in numerous clinical studies to enhance the synthesis of DNA, RNA and protein, while at the same time they inhibit the breakdown of protein. There are receptors for these compounds throughout the intestinal tract, and they are postulated to be mediators of intestinal growth and development. They are known to increase the epithelial cell mass of the intestine, influence the composition of absorptive surfaces, and may be involved in stimulating wound healing. Maturation and proliferation of intestinal cells results in increased absorption of electrolytes and nutrients from the intestine. These growth factors may also aid in resistance to disease, as pathogens are more likely to attack and infect immature or damaged intestinal cells.  IGF-1 is known to have strong anabolic effects on muscle tissue, as it is able to mimic most of the actions of Growth Hormone. Supplementation with bovine colostrum has been shown in a recent scientific study to raise the serum level of IGF-1 in athletes during speed and strength training.

Human Use of Bovine Colostrum

Bovine colostrum has been used for thousands of years as a traditional remedy. More recently, many controlled, scientific trials have proven that oral supplementation with bovine colostrum enhances immunity and provides protection from a variety of diseases. For example, Helicobacter pylori is responsible for the majority of chronic-active gastritis in children and adults. It is the cause of nearly all primary duodenal ulcers, and chronic infection has been linked to gastric adenocarcinoma and lymphoma of the stomach.  More than 50% of North American adults show serological evidence of H. pylori infection by age 60, and this number is much higher in developing countries.  Recent studies indicate that bovine colostrum is effective in reducing the incidence of pathogenesis associated with H. pylori infection.

Other major human pathogens that have been effectively treated with colostrum include rotavirus, Campylobacter jejuni, Cryptosporidium parvum, and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. Infants commonly suffer from diarrhea caused by rotavirus infection, and treatment with colostrum has been shown to reduce the incidence and severity of diarrhea caused by this common virus. Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, and E. coli are the most common human intestinal pathogens, causing disease in millions of people each year.  They are the most common causes of ‘Traveler’s Disease’. In healthy individuals they generally cause self-limiting diarrhea, but in immunocompromised people (due to illness or stress) these infections may be life-threatening. Colostrum has been shown in several scientific studies published in the biomedical literature to reduce the incidence and severity of infection and diarrhea caused by these pathogens.

Leaky Gut Syndrome is a common affliction, resulting in poor absorption of nutrients from food, diarrhea, and allergies. Leaky Gut Syndrome is caused by exposure to pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, yeasts, and parasites, as well as other factors such as poor diet, stress, and alcohol consumption. The immune-enhancing components of colostrum are able to fight the pathogenic causes of Leaky Gut Syndrome, and the growth factors are able to heal and replace the damaged intestinal cells.

A recent scientific study has shown that oral supplementation with bovine colostrum helps to repair the damage caused by NSAIDs. These commonly used drugs, while effective, are known to damage the lining of the stomach and intestine, and may cause or exacerbate ulcers.

Scientific study of bovine colostrum’s effects on the pathogenesis of human disease is relatively young.  To date only the most common pathogens have been studied, but it is expected that continuing trials will identify other specific pathogens against which colostrum provides protection. Current and recent research is investigating the use of colostrum to combat a wide variety of diseases and conditions, including: influenza virus, allergies, anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, Crohn’s disease, herpes virus, HIV, and a range of other bacterial and viral pathogens.

The colostrum in Synermune™ Colostrum enhances the local immunity in the gastrointestinal tract, the main site of pathogenic infection.  It has been proven in controlled scientific studies to decrease the risk and severity of infection due to bacterial, parasitic, and viral pathogens.

Quality

Years of experience and research result in a high-quality, high-potency product. We have investigated and tested most of the suppliers of raw colostrum in the world, and we deal only with the best suppliers on the planet. To ensure maximum potency, the colostrum in Synermune™ Colostrum supplements is collected only from the first milking of USDA Grade A cows, and only from cows that have previously given birth.  This practice ensures that the immunoenhancing components of colostrum are at peak concentration. Cows must be certified to be free from antibiotic treatment at the time of milking. Inspection and testing ensures that the colostrum is free of pesticides, antibiotics and anabolic hormones.  The colostrum is not subjected to excessive heat during the manufacturing process, and so the immunoenhancing properties are retained. The needs of the calves are met first, and so there is no cruelty to animals involved in the collection process.

Safety

Colostrum is considered safe for people of all ages.  Scientific studies on the effects of colostrum supplementation have included subjects ranging from infants to adults, with no reported adverse effects.

Colostrum should be treated as a milk product.  People with milk allergies are advised to use appropriate caution.

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