Colostrum

The Science of Colostrum 

 Colostrum Overview

Colostrum is the first milk produced during late pregnancy and for a few days after birth, and provides essential nutrients and infection-fighting antibodies. Immunity is the foundation of well being and colostrum is a natural immunity booster.

It provides the antibodies which attack the microbes that cause illness and growth factors which heal damaged tissue and rejuvenates the skin.

Research is proof and hundreds of studies by some of the world’s most respected doctors, researchers and scientists have shown that the components in colostrum can destroy viruses, bacteria, yeasts and parasites.

Colostrum:

• Powerfully boosts immune function
• Helps accelerate the healing of injuries.
• Helps burn fat and build lean muscle tissue increasing vitality and stamina.

What Is Colostrum ? 

Colostrum is literally ‘nature’s first food’. It is the pre-milk fluid that all female mammals give their newborn baby in the first few days after birth. Colostrum is a highly complex cocktail of vital immune and growth factors that a baby needs to protect itself against the diseases it will be exposed to, and assists with the development of the newborn into a strong and healthy adult.

Human babies acquire their immunity in the womb prior to birth, receiving immune factors (antibodies) via the placenta. Breast feeding then provides the additional protection, which explains why breast-fed babies are generally healthier than those that are bottle fed.

Antibodies are a key part of the immune system. They act as the body's army. Antibodies, (also known as immunoglobulin’s - Ig’s), are proteins that are found in the blood and other body fluids and are used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects, such as bacteria and viruses. Pathogenic bugs have protrusions on their cell surface called antigens and the antibodies bind to the antigens stopping the bugs from growing.

Cows must provide all of the immune and growth factors to their calves in the colostrum as they do not receive any whilst in the womb. It is not surprising therefore that a cow’s colostrum contains up to twenty times more immune factors than does human colostrum. Because colostrum is non-species specific, it can significantly benefit all other mammals, including humans.

For centuries the colostrum taken from animals has been consumed by children and adults. People in India have used it as a traditional remedy for thousands of years. Research over the past three decades has proven that bovine (cow) colostrum is one of the most effective nutritional supplements available for supporting the immune system. It is also well renowned for aiding tissue repair.

A complex substance, colostrum has many components, all of which have specific purposes and actions. Together they create a new ‘super food’ which can be used by just about anyone.

Colostrum History 

Early in the 20th century it was noted that antibody levels in the first milk produced after birth (colostrum) were much higher than were found in the milk produced after 72 hours. It was already known that these antibodies contained certain properties that enhanced immune protection. Prior to the development of sulphur drugs and antibiotics, colostrum was used for the natural antibiotic properties it contained.

A physician, Albert Sabin who is credited with developing the first polio vaccine, was an advocate of colostrum use and had in fact originally isolated the first anti-polio antibodies from bovine colostrum.

About forty years later Campbell and Peterson, using an orthodox vaccination protection theory, developed a programme whereby cows were immunised with a mixture of attenuated pathogens before the birth of their calf. The colostrum collected from these animals was referred to as immune or hyperimmunised colostrum.

In 1992, Kummer was the first to demonstrate that colostrum from cows can prevent gastrointestinal disease in infants. In 1998 McConnell and her colleagues at Otago University, New Zealand, in conjunction with The New Zealand Dairy Group demonstrated that it was possible to produce colostrum from pasture-fed cows which showed great efficacy and activity of antibodies.

The New Zealand Dairy Industry pioneered the first commercial colostrum collection system. Hundreds of dairy farmers invested in separate stainless steel tanks and the companies developed the means by which to collect, pasteurise, dry, and store colostrum in large quantities. New Image International pioneered the marketing of colostrum with the creation of a product from the first batch by the name of Lifeline^TM, a forerunner of their current product Alpha Lipid Lifeline^TM.

 The Making of Colostrum and The Animal's Wellbeing

Once a cow has given birth, she produces approximately 25 litres of colostrum over the following 36 hours. The first five litres of the colostrum is given to the calf as this is vital for its survival and health. These first five litres provide sufficient colostrum to ensure that adequate nutrition is given and that ongoing herd quality and subsequent production of colostrum and milk for the future, is maintained.

The remaining colostrum is then collected, skimmed and flash-pasteurised at 72^oC for 15 seconds. This is long enough to kill any pathogenic microbes, but not long enough to damage the delicate bioactive elements. The product is then low heat dried maintaining the bioactivity and leaving a white powder.

This low heat drying process which was pioneered in New Zealand, results in a loss of bioactivity of less than 3%. From this stage it is manufactured into capsules, tablets and powdered drinks.

In New Zealand, the cows all calve at the same time of year, so the colostrum is collected fresh and processed immediately. In some countries calving occurs all year round and the colostrum must be frozen prior to processing. Colostrum processed from fresh is believed to be far more effective. The colostrum is collected in a sterilised stainless steel tank and collected the same day by the dairy company. All colostrum collected is tested, every collection and every day, to ensure its purity, and levels of antibodies and bio-active ingredients.

New Zealand farmers are recognised around the world for their superior farming techniques, quality and standards. New Zealand has the strictest guidelines in the world for quality and maintenance of land and resources. The better the natural environment of the cows on the farm, the better the quality of the colostrum and milk they produce. Plenty of space, good pasture, water and care. All is important to production, nothing is neglected.

FOOTNOTE: To ensure new calves receive adequate colostrum, Fonterra commissioned Massey University in New Zealand to develop Animal Health Guidelines for all colostrum suppliers.)

Colostrum Purity and Safety 

“Colostrum is so safe; it has been prepared by nature as the ‘first food’ for infants. It would be hard to imagine any nutritional substance more natural or beneficial.”*

The colostrum used by New Image has earned wide respect and recognition for its purity and quality. Each batch is tested for antibiotic residue, pesticides, inhibitory substances, and microbial contaminants to ensure that only the highest quality colostrum is used.

Colostrum is a very safe ingredient with no recorded negative side effects.

* International Institute of Nutritional Research

 Quality Control

In New Zealand, the Ministry of Agriculture (MAF) Dairy Import/Export and Plant Products Group, twice yearly convenes to review standards relating to dairy product manufacture. Production, storage and transportation of the product must all be in accordance with the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) code of practice which regulates the complete process from cow to consumer.

New Image offers the finest colostrum products available. This is because we only use the highest- grade colostrum from the best and purest environments in the world, guaranteeing no possibility of radioactive or heavy metal contamination.

NZ Colostrum is recognised as the world’s premium colostrum. Why? Because it is collected only from pasture-fed cows, that are pesticide, antibiotic and hormone free.

New Zealand has a strong competitive advantage in colostrum production due in part to NZ’s dairy cows all calving during a single 6 week period each year. This means NZ Colostrum is collected in bulk and transported in a fresh chilled state from farms to the processing plant, in the same way as milk. This is a critical production advantage, because gentle handling and low temperature collection and process technology preserve Colostrum active ingredients. This means with New Zealand Colostrum you get the benefit of thousands of cows’ collective immunity.

The whole programme is governed by New Zealand Food Standard Association (NZFSA) guidelines.

All colostrum collected is individually tested for Active antibodies (IgG’s and IgA’s) against agreed guidelines.

Why You Should Take Colostrum Everybody 

If you wish to have a healthy body then there is no better or more natural supplement for you than colostrum.

• Colostrum is the best natural source of antibodies to destroy and/or neutralise the pathogens that cause illness.
• Colostrum contains the best natural source of growth factors to heal and protect the gut wall.
• Colostrum is a natural source of other valuable immune factors.
• Colostrum contains a multitude of bioactive compounds that work synergistically to boost your immune system and give greater health.

 Colostrum and Aging 

Aging can slow you down, affect health, appearance and ultimately, quality of life.

The aging process is linked to rapidly declining levels of hormones, especially Growth Hormone (GH). Production of GH in our bodies begins to decline from puberty onwards. By the time the body reaches the age of 61, the levels of GH are only 20% of the level they were at age 21. The majority of people are beginning to exhibit signs of aging by their forties.

Colostrum appears to work similarly to GH without the known, unsafe side effects. The biologically active growth factors in bovine colostrum are able to assist with protection against disease and the following processes.

• Stimulation of cellular and tissue growth
• Repair and reversal of the damage done by disease and the natural aging process
• Increased metabolism
• Stimulation of protein synthesis - critical for the renewal of skin and bones

The regenerative effects of colostrum can extend to nearly all of the structural cells in the body making it invaluable as an aid in the quest of prevention of premature aging.

Colostrum and Children 

 Every child should take colostrum every day. Growing children are constantly exposed to illness at school, kindergarten and playgroups. The immunoglobulins and immune factors in colostrum may help to support the child’s immune system and aid in the maintenance of good health, allowing them to grow up healthy and strong.

Colostrum and Sports 

Around the world, professional sports people and committed amateurs are discovering the benefits of colostrum for increased performance. Colostrum is becoming one of the few natural supplements they are prepared to take and which has been cleared by the International Olympic Drug Committee.*

Top sports people train to such a high level that they deplete their immune systems very quickly and are therefore more susceptible to illnesses. The immune factors in colostrum are extremely beneficial in both protection and speed of recovery from illness.

* Colostrum has been reviewed by the World Anti-Doping Agency and is NOT on the Prohibited List.

The Centre Of Your Health 

The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) is considered the centre of your health, the major parts of which are your intestine (gut) and bowel. It is said that 80% of ill health begins in the gut and that this is where most of the pathogens that cause illness begin to attack the body.

Some key points are:

• Many people suffer from gut wall damage often referred to as ‘leaky bowel syndrome’ which can cause a varying range of problems from poor energy to bloating and other conditions which are even more severe.
• The body needs sufficient immunoglobulin and other immune factors. These are the body’s natural antibiotics which neutralise the pathogens that cause illness.
• The body needs sufficient supportive digestive aids such as friendly bacteria and digestive enzymes.
• Our health is constantly under attack. Disease-causing pathogens are found everywhere. They are the countless bacteria, viruses, fungi and moulds that cause ill health. The body is exposed to millions of them everyday and our modern, stressful life-style often weakens our defences, causing continual illness.

 How Coloctrum Works 

Colostrum is a complex substance containing varying components that have specific or nonspecific therapeutic and nutritional benefits. There are two main ways in which colostrum supports the human organism;

Multiple immune factors and natural antibodies provide strong support for overall immunity.

The many growth factors in colostrum offer a broad-spectrum boost to the body encouraging optimum health and healing.

The stronger your body’s immune system becomes, the more resilient it is to invading pathogens.

Once a pathogen enters the gut, these antibodies surround it and bind to its surface so as to prevent it adhering to the gut wall causing illness. Instead, it merely passes through the system and is expelled. The more of these natural antibodies you have, the stronger your immune system will be.

 Immune Factors Fights Pathogen

COLOSTRUM - nature’s immunity provider

	1. Germs enter the body and make their way to the gut wall.
	2. Once attached to the gut wall, germs begin to multiply freely, causing illness and disease.
	3. The antibodies in colostrum remain in the gut, increasing your natural antibody levels. When a germ invades they attach themselves to it.
	4. Once the antibodies are attached, the germ cannot stick to the gut wall, and passes harmlessly through your system.

Natural Immunisation

One of the most incredible facets of the immune system is that it remembers all the pathogens that it is exposed to, so that the next time a similar pathogen enters the body the immune system remembers it and quickly produces antibodies to fight it off. This is the concept behind vaccination against key pathogens, enabling the body to form antibodies prior to disease exposure.

  

The Immune Factor 

The medical solution to destroying pathogens is usually pharmaceutical antibiotics. Since the introduction of penicillin in 1940, antibiotics have been hailed as the answer to all our health worries, but this is not entirely true.

• Antibiotics only kill certain types of bacteria. They do not work on viruses or many other forms of pathogens.
• Antibiotics generally will destroy the good bacteria in your gut as well as the bad.
• Bacteria are developing an immunity to antibiotics at an alarming speed. So much so, that the United States Centre for Disease Control has stated ‘antibiotic resistance is one of the leading threats facing the human race today’.
• Increasing numbers of people are looking for natural and effective ways to remain healthy and the majority may also need an immune boost.
• Where does one find that safe, natural immune boost? There is only one solution and that is colostrum - nature’s ultimate source of natural antibodies

The principal immunoglobulins that function as antibodies are IgG, IgA and IgM. All these immunoglobulins function synergistically so as to complement each other in their purpose to hunt down and destroy invading pathogenic microbes.

IgG	Primary function is to identify and assist in the destruction of invading pathogenic microbes. IgG is the predominant immunoglobulin in bovine milk colostrum
IgA	Primary role is as the first line of defence protecting mucosal surfaces and preventing pathogen attacks
IgM	Primary role is to fight pathogens by enhancing phagocytosis (engulfment and digestion of bacteria) thereby destroying invading pathogens
IgE	Primarily involved with the allergic reaction and along with histamine associated allergic reaction, and as active defence against enteric parasites
IgD	Stimulates lymphocytes to produce antibodies
	An important consideration is the stability of antibodies in the digestive tract. In a study conducted to ascertain the stability of bovine immunoglobulins to proteolytic digestion, it was revealed that the specific action of antibodies in the gastrointestinal tract is not adversely affected and that biological activity is retained.
Lactoferrin	An iron-binding protein with potent broad spectrum antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and free radical reducing effects. Lactoferrin also helps protect tissues from pathogenic, inflammatory and oxidative damage

Cytokines

A group of substances that assist with regulation of immunity and inflammatory responses in the body. Two common forms of cytokines in colostrum are interleukins 1 and 6. They help to regulate the intensity and duration of the immune response and control the communication between the immune system cells while at the same time boosting T lymphocyte activity.

Proline Rich Polypeptides (PRP’s)

These have been shown to enhance immunity by stimulating a weak immune system and/or balancing an overactive one. This can be done partly by the action of regulating the activity of the thymus gland which is often described as the ‘command centre’ for the immune system.

Antibacterial Enzymes

These work synergistically with each other and increase antibacterial activity in the presence of lactoferrin, forming a deadly combination against invading bacteria.

Lactalbumin; Research has indicated that this substance may have possibilities for enhancement of the immune response against numerous forms of viruses and cancers, including breast and liver. Lactalbumin has also been shown in vulnerable subjects, to raise brain serotonin activity, reduce cortisol concentration and improve moods when under stress.

Growth Factors

Growth factors found in colostrum include Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF), Trophoblast Growth Factor (TGF), Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF) and Fibroplast Growth Factor (FGF). Their function primarily, is in the growth, development, and maturation of cells, organs, nerves, muscle and tissues. Growth factors also play a part in the body’s healing and recovery processes.

Colostrum versus Immune Milk

A recent comparative study was conducted in collaboration with the Otago University Department of Microbiology. In this study, the antibody specificity of a hyperimmune milk product was compared with that of a colostrum product derived from non-immunised, pasture-fed New Zealand cows. Specific antibody titres (concentration) to a panel of 19 of the same 22 pathogenic bacteria and yeast that were used as immunising antigens were determined by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Three of the pathogens used as immunising antigens were not available due to regulatory import restraints from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF). The colostrum demonstrated a significantly higher IgG and IgG1 antibody titre against all of the antigens tested than the hyperimmune milk. In addition, colostrum was shown to stimulate the accumulation of immune cells in the peritoneum of mice. Colostrum was found to contain specific antibodies to the following microbes.

PATHOGEN	DISEASE CONDITION
Bacillus cereus	Food poisoning, mastitis
Campylobacter jejuni	Food poisoning
Candida albicans	Thrush - yeast infection
Clostridium difficile	Food poisoning
Escherischia coli	Commensal bacteria
Escherischia coli 0157:H7	Food poisoning
Haemophilus influenzae	Bacterial meningitis
Heliobacter pylori	Stomach ulcers
Klebsiella pneumoniae	Pneumonia, urinary tract infection
Listeria monocytogenes	Food poisoning
Propionibacterium acnes	Acne
Salmonella enteritidis	Food poisoning
Staphylococcus aureus	Pneumonia, osteomyelitis, carditis, meningitis,
Staphylococcus aureus (methicillin resistant MRSA)	Arthritis, Toxic Shock Syndrome,
Staphylococcus epidermis	Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (MAR)
Streptococcus agalactiae	Mastitis, bacteraemia, meningitis,pneumonia
Streptococcus mutans	Periodontal disease, tooth decay, arteriosclerosis, endocarditis
Streptococcus pyogenes	Strep Throat, flesh-eating bacteria, myositis
Streptococcus species	Strep shock syndrome, rheumatic fever, kidney disease