The thin fluid produced by breastfeeding mothers is known as Colostrum. Colostrum is produced inside the lactating mothers in abundance during the first few days of milking. However after a couple of a days it secretes less with each milking. Colostrum is a substance that introduces immunoglobulins from the mother to the child which turns on and strengthens the infant’s immune system.
Colostrum contains a wide variety of nutrients and growth factors along with oligosaccharides, ipidic and glucidic factors, cytokines, antimicrobial agents and nucleosides. Colostrum is also responsible for promoting cell growth, fat utilization, DNA synthesis and for increasing mental acuity in the child.
Bovine colostrum which is available in the drug stores, also has an identical structure to the colostrum produced by humans. Several researches have shown that bovine colostrum also attributes to many health benefits some of which has been illustrated below.
Some of the most highlighted health and wellness benefits of colostrum are:
Rectifies gut health
Our gut is responsible not only for nutrient absorption but also for detoxification and maintaining our immunological balance. Clinical researches done on our intestines shows that the microbial balance in our gut plays a mighty role on our immunological control system. A special immunoglobulin protein known as IgA (sIgA) plays a major role in this process. Colostrum is one of the major prolific substance that boots the IgA (sIgA) level in our gut. Colostrum also provides that raw material needed for repair of the gut lining. Patients suffering from chronic gut problems like Crohn’s disease, IBS, ulcerative colitis and even autism are signs of having low IgA (sIgA) levels in out gut. As our intestinal membrane gets replaced every 3 days, taking colostrum supplements helps in healing such ailments.
The transfer factors of chemicals from colostrum helps in naturally boosting ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‹Å“natural killer cell’ (NK) activities which aids in calming hyperactive immune system by the active suppression of T-cells. This aids in increasing the intelligence of our immune system and thus allows our immune system to work with greater efficiency.
Helps in the treatment of AIDS
As colostrum acts as catalytic memory agent for our immune system it helps in alerting the native immune cells against impending dangers, The IgG molecule that is present in colostrum is highly effective in saving someone’s life who is suffering from Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes-AIDS. As people suffering from this terminal disease becomes incapable of producing sufficient IgA on their own which aids in combating pathological microbes like Cryptosporidium parvum, taking colostrum supplements helps in completely eliminating clinical symptoms of cryptosporidiosis.
Enhances oxygenation of tissues
An iron binding protein known as Lactoferrin that is found in colostrum helps in releasing iron in the red blood cells by depriving the bacteria inside us of the iron they need for their reproductive activities. This increase in the iron level in the red blood cells, which can be achieved by intake of colostrum supplements helps in enhancing oxygenation of our tissues.
Helps in growth
Colostrum contains insulin like growth factor IGF-1 and IGF-2, Fibroblast growth factor (FGF), Epithelial growth factor (EGF) and Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) which aids in turning on and off the production of particular proteins inside our cells that helps in our growth.
Other than these Colostrum also contains Cytokines which are certain signaling molecules that helps in intra-cellular communication that plays a vital role in our wellbeing.