You already knew colostrum was good for calves, but did you know bovine colostrum might be good for humans, too?
What is Colostrum?
Bovine colostrum is the “first milk” a cow produces immediately after giving birth. It is distinct from regular milk because it is packed with vitamins, minerals, and special proteins designed to jump-start a newborn calf’s immune system, which the calf is born without.
While nature intended this fluid to help calves survive and fight disease, a growing body of research is uncovering the merits of bovine colostrum for human health applications. A recent review article published in the human scientific journal, Frontiers in Nutrition, explored the nutritional and bioactive elements of colostrum, and their potential applications to human health.
The authors said laboratory evaluation of colostrum has identified a wealth of potentially bioactive molecules in colostrum. Additionally, they said “protein, fats, glycans, minerals, and vitamins are abundant in colostrum, and advances in dairy processing technologies have enabled the advancement of bovine colostrum from relative limitations of a fresh and unprocessed food, to a variety of potential applications in human health.”
How is Colostrum Harvested from Cows for Humans?
Harvesting raw colostrum is a careful process that relies on timing and temperature. Farmers collect colostrum using standard milking machines, but the highest quality colostrum—packed with the most antibodies—must be gathered during the first milking, usually within the first 6 to 24 hours after the cow gives birth. After that, the nutrient levels drop quickly as the fluid turns into regular milk.
A common concern is whether the calves go hungry. A healthy cow usually produces about 10–15 liters of colostrum, while her calf only needs about 4–5 liters to survive. Farmers ensure the calf gets its share first, and the surplus is collected for humans.
Benefits of Bovine Colostrum for Humans
Bovine colostrum supplements have been used for decades by elite athletes seeking improved body composition and exercise performance.
Researchers also have found favorable results in administering bovine colostrum as a companion dose for patients who routinely take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDS are commonly used to treat pain, chronic inflammation, and degenerative joint disease. However, their long-term use can leave patients with digestive complications like peptic ulcers and intestinal damage. Giving bovine colostrum concurrently with NSAIDs has been shown to reduce these negative side effects.
By creating “hyperimmune” bovine colostrum, researchers have produced special colostrum formulations that target a specific disease-causing organism. The cows are vaccinated against certain organisms, which creates higher levels of antibodies to fight those organisms in their colostrum, which then is processed for human medicine applications.
A WebMD summary listed potential effectiveness of bovine colostrum as a preventative agent for infectious diarrhea in children; airway infections caused by exercise; diarrhea in people with HIV/AIDS; and influenza, particularly in individuals who have already been vaccinated for the flu, and/or are at higher risk for getting the flu. It also has shown promise as a treatment for diarrhea in children caused by rotavirus, and as a protective agent against “Travelers Diarrhea” caused by enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC).
The casein in colostrum contains peptides that can help with immune regulation and have natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. The other protein fraction in colostrum – whey – is rich in amino acids, and has been found to have antimicrobial properties and promote healing.
The Frontiers in Nutrition article stated bovine colostrum shows tremendous promise as a “functional food” or food ingredient. But processing techniques to separate bioactive fractions from colostrum need to be fine-tuned to enhance product development.
Individuals allergic to cow’s milk or who have lactose intolerance should not consume colostrum products. Bovine colostrum also contains estrogen, so it may not be advisable for individuals at risk for estrogen-fed cancers like breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer.
The power of colostrum continues to reveal itself, in the worlds of both bovine health and productivity, and human health management.
