Colostrum - the number one nutrient for your body

Things to know in advance about Colostrum

Colostrum is more than a wonderful gift from Mother Nature. It is nature’s greatest possible reassurance of newborn babies’ survival chances, to ensure the survival of both the human and the animal race. Among the gifts of Mother Nature, colostrum plays a very special role, because it is not just a nutrient, but THE ‘Number One’ nutrient, with the longest tradition of intake and the highest conceivable possibility of intake – namely from when the first living creature was born and suckled.

To protect the newborn body by strengthening its defences against numerous viruses and bacteria, such as the typical form of blood poisoning, known as neonatal sepsis, and to give it the power to breathe, to communicate through sounds and to approach the maternal breast, to give it muscular power (in the case of animals) to move on with the mother and herd in search of food and water, just a few hours after birth, without being left alone, starving and dying of thirst, or being eaten by predators, Mother Nature had to come up with a very special strategy in order to quickly provide the newborn with a concentrated load of nutrients and vital substances which is second to none and ensures the survival of the newborn in the critical first days.

Logically, this reinsurance from Mother Nature cannot be done in any other way than through breast milk, because, apart from oxygen and heat, it is the only factor that gives the newborn everything it needs to survive.

Colostrum is nothing but a first milk secretion that is produced in the breast glands of the mother during the first 24 to 72 hours after delivery. It contains over 80 different micronutrients which provide the life-sustaining immune and growth factors and give the newborn the immunity and strength to survive the most difficult phase of its life without coming to harm. In addition, newborns are given digestive control signals which help the gastrointestinal tract adapt and mature. Colostrum contains nutrients and the necessary calories to ensure the development of the brain and nervous system.

The intention and desire here are to make it possible to not only benefit from the fabulous health benefits in the first 24 to 28 hours, but also to benefit from the immune-building and fortifying properties of colostrum in adulthood.

The DNA sequences of various human and animal colostrum constituents were found to be nearly identical, and there was nothing to prevent colostrum extracted from the first milk of cows and goats (also called ‘beestings’) for human use in the form of a dietary supplement.

Now, it would be morally questionable to take something away from calves and kids, which they urgently need for their own lives. But it is reassuring to learn that the dams produce colostrum in excess and that humans only claim this excess for themselves. And so it is no coincidence that millions of people around the world are taking advantage of this gift from Mother Nature and the number of physicians who use colostrum in their practice, not only to relieve symptoms of allergies, inflammation, infections (MS, AIDS, cancer) and muscle breakdown, but often even to heal them, is increasing.

Legend has it, however, that colostrum has been used for thousands of years, such as in ancient Egypt or ancient Greece, where it was specifically used by athletes; in India, it was even valued as a divine gift.

The first scientific investigations go back to Dr. Christoph W. Hufeland, who experimented with colostrum at the end of the 18th century.

The discovery of the antibiotic sidelined colostrum and it was forgotten. However, it enjoyed a remarkable renaissance thanks to a US publication in 1955 and has been intensively researched ever since. While colostrum, for example, is classified as a health food in Finland and can be found in every grocery store processed as cheese, it is not considered milk in most countries under the Milk Ordinance and therefore cannot be processed in food.

Discover some of the benefits which this nutrient offers to our health and strength and what well-known experts around the world think of colostrum. Read about the individual effects that colostrum has on diseases, backed up by specific studies.

Active ingredients in colostrum

This natural product contains about 80 different micronutrients, which are responsible for the extremely potent effects of colostrum. It is therefore essential to breastfeed your child, as various studies[1] indicate that children who have not been breastfed are more likely to suffer from food allergies, eczema, respiratory allergies and digestive problems.

Researchers agree that they are a long way from having identified all the substance groups, let alone individual active ingredients, that provide the fantastic health benefits of colostrum, which adults can use to make their own colostrum supplements.

Among the most important active ingredients in colostrum are:

-                 antibodies/immunoglobulins

-                 leukocytes

-                 accessory factors

-                 proteins

-                 amino acids

-                 growth factors

-                 nucleotides

-                 vitamins

-                 minerals

Antibodies in colostrum

The antibodies in breast milk (37 have been identified so far) have a doubly important function: They are intended to protect the child from viruses and bacteria from the outside and, at the same time, kill infections that the mother may carry. The phagocytes (white blood cells) thus protect the child from bacilli attacking from both the inside and the outside. 

The antibodies contained in colostrum protect the body:[2]

-                 Salmonella

-                 E. coli

-                 Bacteroides fragilis (colon bacteria)

-                 Shigella

-                 Bordetella pertussis (whooping cough bacteria)

-                 Vibrio cholerae

-                 Candida albicans

-                 Clostridium tetani

-                 Steptococcus mutans

-                 Steptococcus pneumoniae

-                 Clostridium diphtheria

All four important immunoglobulins are found in colostrum; these include: IgM, IgG, IgA and secretory IgA.

Studies have shown that bovine colostrum contains up to 40 times the amount of IgG as human colostrum.[3] In addition, studies have shown that the immunoglobulins contained in colostrum have special traps that neutralise many viruses, bacteria and fungi.[4] Colostrum has special antibodies that fight harmful microorganisms and stimulate the antibodies to react to them.[5]

Colostrum contains a high proportion of immunoglobulins and other antibodies, some of which have yet to be researched in full, which ensure immunity against harmful intestinal bacteria, viruses and fungi. It has also been shown that colostrum exhibits its immune factors less in the tissue itself, but rather, in the stomach, intestine and bronchi.[6] A very important finding that underlines the effect of colostrum at any age. In order to avoid being destroyed in the stomach, colostrum immunoglobulin protein molecules have specific protease inhibitors that prevent the breakdown and destruction of immune factors.[7] The numerous leucocytes (white blood cells) and lymphocytes (T cells) in colostrum protect the organism from other pathogens and pathogens.

Leukocytes (white blood cells) in colostrum

Contrary to what, for example, medicinal plants can offer us, colostrum contains living white blood cells that can protect us from many pathogens; among the most important are macrophages, neutrophils and lymphocytes (predominantly T cells).

Accessory factors in colostrum

While the peroxidase enzymes contained in colostrum destroy pathogens by oxidation, the carbohydrates ‘oligosaccharides’ and ‘polysaccharides’ and the protein ‘lactoferrin’ contained in colostrum neutralise some bacteria strands.

Proteins/amino acids in colostrum

The symptoms of iron deficiency include headache, brittle nails and tingling in the hands and feet. The lactoferrin contained in colostrum has the property to bind iron. People who suffer from iron deficiency can experience better iron transport in the body due to iron binding. According to a study, the amino acid proline present in colostrum can increase the permeability of the dermal vessels and stimulate or restrict immune responses as needed.[8]

Growth factors in colostrum

The growth factors contained in colostrum (TGF = transforming growth factors) are polypeptides that promote, among other things, the cell growth and thus the ability of our tissue to repair itself.

According to one study, the promotion of cell division in bovine colostrum is 100 times greater than in human colostrum.[9]



[1] Juto 1985

[2] Ogra 1983

[3] Bruce, C. E., Natural History, Feb. 1969

[4] Brandt-zaeg 1983

[5] Ogra 1983

[6] Tyrell 1980

[7] von Fellenberg 1980

[8] Staroscik 1983

[9] Ballard 1981

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