Colostrum: Life's First Food
by Josephine Mahl

Nature"s first food for newborns, be they human or animal, is colostrum, the rich combination of immunoglobulins, growth factors and an immune system "vaccination" of antimicrobial factors.

Children who missed the multiple benefits of being breast-fed, according to research done by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), tend to have more childhood diseases because of formula-feeding. Lendon H. Smith, M.D., a pediatrician from Portland, Oregon writes in How to Raise A Healthy Child, "The first milk, colostrum, is rich in both protein and antibodies against a number of bacteria and viruses."

People who were formula-fed tend to have somewhat compromised immune and digestive systems. Colostrum from range-fed cows, free of pesticides and artificial hormones and antibiotics, can help restore compromised systems to optimum function at any age. It makes no difference how early or late in life colostrum is introduced to the system.

Ongoing research that began with Dr. Albert Sabin, known for developing the Polio vaccine, (Sabin's polio vaccine and antipolio antibodies that were isolated in bovine colostrum and successfully used in oral administration) continues at major medical centers and universities worldwide. Hundreds of studies show that bovine colostrum works effectively in both humans and "lower" mammals. Even older references occur in Ayurvedic medicine as to the use of colostrum for health purposes. Raw colostrum, which must be refrigerated and consumed within a certain period of time, usually from just one source, is used by Ayurvedic doctors. Even the strict vegan diet of India's Hindu Rishis (spiritual leaders) has included colostrum for thousands of years. In present-day India colostrum is a highly-prized food from a creature considered to be sacred.

A cow give birth only once a year. High-quality colostrum is taken only during the first 24 to 48 hours after birth, and only from cows which are free of hormones, pesticides and antibiotics. It then must be processed without excessive heat to keep its components biologically active, and contained in a capsule that will dissolve in the small intestine. Processed colostrum, free of fat, whey and lactose, is pooled from hundreds and sometimes thousands of cows and provides a very broad base of immune factors.

Ideally the colostrum should reach the small intestine intact where it does its work. It must be protected from destruction by saliva and stomach acids. Tablets which require a high temperature to form will greatly diminish the biological activity of colostrum's immune and growth factors. The most costly method is to put colostrum in a bovine gelatin capsule. The capsules should be ingested on an empty stomach first thing in the morning with a tall glass of water to help its transit into the upper intestine, then wait at least 20 minutes before eating any food or other supplement.

For best results many natural health care practitioners suggest that colostrum should be "front loaded." The first few large doses to obtain desired results can be followed by lower doses. If benefits diminish on the lowered dose, reverse the process. As the body dumps toxins some people report a healing incident which could manifest as skin eruptions, rashes, indigestion or flu-like symptoms. These symptoms usually disappear in a couple of days. Self-monitoring and making a journal can help keep track of where in the body the colostrum has been most effective. The growth factors in colostrum may create initial pain in areas of old wounds or injuries as they heal. If this becomes too uncomfortable, one may want to cut back on the colostrum for a few days and then resume at a lower dose, increasing slowly back up to optimum levels.

Caution: Pregnant or nursing women should consult a health care practitioner before taking any over-the-counter medication or herbal or nutritional supplement, including colostrum. The immune factors in colostrum may be very beneficial to children especially when they suffer from lingering or recurring viral and bacterial infections. Again, consult a health care practitioner before supplementing a child.

People who are unable to swallow capsules oftentimes choose liquid colostrum, which must be kept refrigerated and has a short shelf life. Too, preservatives are sometimes added to the liquid which may dilute and damage its biological effectiveness.

True colostrum contains almost no lactose so people who are lactose intolerant need to be particular about the product they are purchasing. It must be labeled 100 percent colostrum and not colostrum whey or concentrates of mild whey. Whey is a byproduct of milk, colostrum or cheese and is usually processed with hydrochloric acid and heat. An added caution is that colostrum mixed with other supplements or herbs and additives may provide small benefit

Since colostrum is a natural food, it can be consumed in any quantity without side effects or drug interactions. However, because colostrum helps heal the bowel, users have been able to cut back on herbal/nutritional supplements. Colostrum can restore homeostasis in the bowel by killing harmful bacteria and viruses, restoring beneficial bacteria and healing the bowel lining. With a better functioning bowel one is more able to use all nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, herbal and other supplements and oral pharmaceutical medications. Medications may need to be reevaluated for dose and need by one's health care practitioner.

For people concerned about weight loss, colostrum contains IGF-1, the most powerful growth factor in the body. Medical research has shown that without adequate amounts of IGF-1, the human body during fasting or dieting will burn muscle protein before it burns fat (catabolism). The only way to increase IGF-1 levels in the body is through daily aerobic exercise or colostrum, or both. The IGF-1 and other growth factors in colostrum help burn fat and lean muscle mass.

Weight gain through increased muscle mass can be helped by increasing food intake along with exercise and colostrum. Muscle mass weighs more than fat per volume and for athletes such gain could be very beneficial for performance.

THE ANTI-AGING EFFECT OF COLOSTRUM
After puberty the body's production of growth hormones is slowed down. Growth hormones are important for the reproduction of virtually all of the body's cellular tissue. Studies have shown that by age 80 most people are producing virtually no growth hormone so that the aging process accelerates. Colostrum's growth factors are the actual hormones that stimulate the normal reproduction of cellular tissue. A few years ago The New England Journal of Medicine reported that the most effective anti-aging remedy would be simply to replace growth hormones at proper levels to slow, possible stop or even reverse the aging processes. Colostrum is the only natural, direct source of these growth hormones that are present whole and intact for optimum bioavailability.
COLOSTRUM FOR CUTS AND BURNS, SURGERY AND ACCIDENTS
Colostrum's immune factors contain highly effective anti-bacterial agents which help reduce and eliminate infections in external injuries (cuts, burns, abrasions and surgical wounds). Colostrum also contains a combination of growth hormones (GH, TgA and B, PDgF, FgF, IgF-1, and IgF II) and epithelial (skin) growth hormone (FgF) which stimulate accelerated healing. The anti-inflammatory agents i n colostrum can also help reduce or eliminate swelling and pain.

A capsule of colostrum can be opened and the contents mixed with sterile water or a saline solution to form a paste and applied directly to affected areas and bandaged if necessary. This is reapplied two to three times daily until healing is complete
COLOSTRUM AND DEPRESSION.
People spend hundreds of dollars on means to increase the brain's production of its "feel good" neurotransmitter chemicals, serotonin and dopamine. to accompllish this, many use nicotine, drugs, and mostly unhealthy and fattening goods like chocolate, which is one of the foods known to stimulate productionof these brain chemicals. Relying on these substances to maintain that feel good sensation can becomea daily comfort strategy.

Colostrum is a natural and healthy means of stimulating the brain to release serotonin and dopamine and prolong their re-uptake.
Colostrum also activates thje release of other chemicals in the brain that affect alertness and concentration. In fact, for most people colostrum is so effective that it is not recommended for ingestion after 3 or 4 p.m., because the energy burst may interfere with sleep.
COLOSTRUM AND GUM DISEASE
The antibacterial factors in colostrum have been shown to help prevent and treat gum dissease. I t can be applied directly to the gums just before sleep for as long as it takes to improve the condition. Colostrum has also been shown to help control any pain before and after dental work.