Colostrum

Colostrum (also known colloquially as beestings,^[1] bisnings^[2] or first milk) is a form of milk produced by the mammary glands of mammals (including humans) in late pregnancy. Most species will generate colostrum just prior to giving birth. Colostrum contains antibodies to protect the newborn against disease, as well as being lower in fat^[3] and higher in protein than ordinary milk.

Human consumption of bovine colostrum

Assertions that colostrum consumption is of human benefit are questionable because most ingredients undergo digestion in the adult stomach, including antibodies and all other proteins. Bovine colostrum and its components are safe for human consumption, except in the context of intolerance or allergy to lactose or other components. It shows promise in the treatment or prevention of a variety of diseases.^[25][26][27]

Bovine colostrum from pasture-fed cows contains immunoglobulins specific to many human pathogens, including Escherichia coli, Cryptosporidium parvum, Shigella flexneri, Salmonella, Staphylococcus,^[28] and rotavirus (which causes diarrhea in infants). Before the development of antibiotics, colostrum was the main source of immunoglobulins used to fight infections. In fact, when Albert Sabin made his first oral vaccine against polio, the immunoglobulin he used came from bovine colostrum.^[29] When antibiotics began to appear, interest in colostrum waned, but, now that antibiotic-resistant strains of pathogens have developed, interest is once again returning to natural alternatives to antibiotics, namely, colostrum.^[30]

Some athletes have used colostrum in an attempt to improve their performance^[31] decrease recovery time,^[32] and prevent sickness during peak performance levels.^[33][34] Thus, supplementation with bovine colostrum (20 g/d) in combination with exercise training for 8 wk may increase bone-free lean body mass in active men and women.^[31][35]

Low IGF-1 levels may be associated with dementia in the very elderly, although causation has not been established.^[36] People with eating disorders also have low levels of IGF-1 due to malnutrition,^[37] as do obese individuals.^[38] Supplementation with colostrum, which is rich in IGF-1, can be a useful part of a weight reduction program.^{[citation needed]} Although IGF-1 is not absorbed intact by the body, it does stimulate the production of IGF-1 when taken as a supplement.^[39]

Colostrum also has antioxidant components, such as lactoferrin^[40] and hemopexin, which binds free heme in the body.^[41]

Hyperimmune colostrum was an early attempt to boost the effectiveness of natural bovine colostrum by immunizing cows with a specific pathogen and then collecting the colostrum after the cow gave birth. This initially appeared very promising as antibodies did appear towards the specific pathogens or antigens that were used in the original challenge. However, upon closer examination and comparison, it was found that IgG levels in natural colostrum towards 19 specific human pathogens were just as high as in hyperimmune colostrum, and natural colostrum nearly always had higher antibody titers than did the hyperimmune version.^[28] However, travelan, a drug used to prevent traveler's diarrhea is made using this method, and has been shown to prevent the disease in up to 90% of people.

Hyperimmune colostrum