While most people don't experience any side effects from bovine colostrum, there have been rare reports of problems in HIV-positive people such as nausea, vomiting, abnormal liver function tests, and decreased red blood cells.
However, the world anti-doping agency (WADA) advises athletes against taking colostrum for fear of causing a rise in levels of IGF-1 in the circulation with resulting doping penalties (https://www.wada-ama.org).
Since bovine colostrum is designed to provide protection for a newborn calf's gut, it can do the same for human adults. If you suffer from autoimmune disorders that cause inflammation, bovine colostrum may ease your symptoms and allow your gut to heal.
Colostrum is a nutrient-rich first milk produced by your breasts during pregnancy. It changes to transitional breast milk a few days after your baby is born. However, small amounts of colostrum remain in your breast milk for several weeks.
Dosing. Standardization of commercial bovine colostrum products is difficult because antibody content varies widely. Dosages up to 60 g/day for up to 12 weeks have been used in clinical trials evaluating use for athletic enhancement.
While there is no standard dosage defined when it comes to taking colostrum, some studies show that taking 500 to 2000 milligrams per day can be beneficial. The amount taken daily can be divided and taken twice a day as well.
In addition to bovine colostrum's benefits on the health of the calves, it also improves human health in that it enhances the immune defense and gastrointestinal health of humans by its bioactive components (Arslan et al., 2021).
These results suggest that colostrum may have a beneficial role in recovering brain function following hemorrhagic stroke by suppressing apoptotic cell death. (1) In vitro experiment results confirmed that bovine colostrum can inhibit N-methyl-D-aspartic acid-induced neuronal cell death in the rat hippocampus.
Colostrum (also known as “first milk”) is a special type of milk mother mammals produce for their newborn just before giving birth. Mothers feed this milk to the newborn immediately following birth, and it is only available for a limited amount of time (typically around 3-4 days).
Colostrum is also reportedly effective at reducing intestinal inflammation in a preterm piglet model of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) (Moller et al., 2011).
Preventing failure to thrive: In babies with a low birth weight, receiving colostrum either from the mother or as a bovine supplement from formula may support healthy weight gain and prevent failure to thrive.
An effective detoxification agent, lactoferrin contained in colostrum prevents invasive agents found in our everyday environment such as water and food supply from being pushed into lymph nodes. As a result, colostrum may decrease the duration of a cold.
The most abundant and well-characterized growth factors in bovine colostrum are probably insulin-like growth factors I and II (IGF-I and IGF-II, respectively) (13). They stimulate cell growth and are proposed to act both as endocrine hormones via the blood and as paracrine and autocrine growth factors locally (12, 19).
Oral administration of immunoglobulin G-enhanced colostrum alleviates insulin resistance and liver injury and is associated with alterations in natural killer T cells.
Does Colostrum Heal the Gut Lining? Using colostrum for leaky gut is extremely effective. The lactoferrin in bovine colostrum is a powerhouse for promoting muscle growth and healing due to its high amount of antioxidants and growth factors, including insulin like growth-factor-l (IGF-I).
Reversal of Cognitive Decline in Human Alzheimer's Patients
Human studies of colostrum-derived proline-rich polypeptide are showing not only stabilization, but also reversal of brain dysfunction in those with early-stage disease.
Colostrum will probably be more effective on an empty stomach; ideally we suggest taking it about 30 minutes before or 2 hours after a regular meal. That said, it's fine to take colostrum when you have other food on board. Healthy adult, for general maintenance and support supplement with 1 – 3 g per day.
Drug-Drug interactions: No interactions were reported. Drug-Food interactions: Avoid a high intake of dairy products such as milk, ghee, and cheese.
In conclusion, our trial demonstrated that colostrum supplementation decreased previously elevated intestinal permeability and was able to restore it to a predetermined normal limit within less than 3 weeks of relatively mild supplementation.
You will make small quantities at first, often less than a millilitre at each feed or expression, and this volume of colostrum is usually adequate for the needs of a healthy baby born at term.
Transitional milk comes when mature breast milk gradually replaces colostrum. You will make transitional milk from 2-5 days after delivery until up to 2 weeks after delivery. You may notice that your breasts become fuller and warmer and that your milk slowly changes to a bluish-white color.
This magical milk has so many beneficial properties for your newborn. For instance, research shows that colostrum is packed with immune-boosting components that seed your baby's gut with good bacteria. Colostrum is usually thick and yellowish—although clear, white and even greenish tints can also be normal.