Health and wellness is a fun old space, right? Because just when you feel like you’ve seen it all (placenta pills, marine collagen, breast milk for acne, etc.) colostrum supplements make their way.
Yes, colostrum supplements.
Everyone is suddenly talking about it and we really have to take everything apart. Because really, wtf.
If you’re like us, you’re already trying to keep up with the overdrive of new supplements on the market and have been diligently taking an estimated eleven million tablets/powders/capsules/liquids every day in hopes that you’re doing~something good~.
While colostrum supplements aren’t necessarily a “new” thing, thanks to the current hype around all things “wellness,” they’ve recently exploded in popularity.
So do you really need to add colostrum tablets to the list?
What are the real benefits? And where does this colostrum come from…? SO MANY QUESTIONS.
Watch: Speaking of all things wellness… when was the last time you said ‘no’ to something? Here’s how to resist the pleasurable impulses of your people and learn to say no. The post continues below.
To answer that, we decided to chat with some experts.
Below, we asked a doctor and nutritionist everything we should know about colostrum supplements, including what it actually is, the benefits, and if it’s really something we should take.
What is Colostrum?
Oh good! Let’s go back a bit…
“Colostrum is also known as the first milk,” explains Dr. Sonja Coetzee of InstantScripts. “It’s the first liquid the breasts produce, and it’s extremely nutritious.”
“It’s usually a dark, golden color and kids only need a very small amount for their nutritional needs.”
It looks… appetizing.
But the actual benefits are pretty magical, there’s a good reason it’s called “liquid gold.”
As registered nurse and nutritionist Madeline Calfas explained, “It’s high in antioxidants, it’s nutrient dense (contains loads of protein, vitamins and minerals) and exceptionally rich in antibodies (immunoglobulins) from the mother so the baby gets a ‘broad immune protection in the first few days of outdoor life.’
As for the gut, Dr. Coetzee said colostrum “protects the digestive system and promotes healthy bowel function, as well as having a ‘mild laxative effect that helps clear meconium. ‘” (FYI: meconium is the a baby’s first poop).
“The flow of colostrum is slow and is very helpful, teaching newborns early breastfeeding skills,” said Dr. Coetzee.
Interesting!
As Calfas added, “colostrum becomes breast milk between the second and fourth day after birth (although there will be small traces of colostrum in breast milk for several weeks after birth).”
So what does all this have to do with colostrum supplements for adults?
Let’s get into it.
What are Colostrum Supplements?
When you first heard of colostrum supplements, we guarantee you that the first thing that popped into your mind was Why? Followed by Where does it come from?
So, what is ingestible colostrum actually?
As our experts have explained to us, bovine (cow) colostrum is used in supplements as it has very similar components to human colostrum, both rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins and enzymes.
However, there are some key differences mainly in terms of the differences between… humans and cows.
As Calfas pointed out: “The biggest difference between human colostrum and bovine (cow) colostrum is that human colostrum is designed to provide the requirements for human development and bovine colostrum is designed to provide the essential nutrients for human development. of the cow”.
Basically, the concentration of some nutrients is different to meet the needs of different species.
“When comparing human colostrum to bovine colostrum, there are three components that need to be considered immunoglobulins (antibodies), growth factors and lactose.”
For starters, bovine colostrum has a very high concentration of antibodies that you wouldn’t normally find in human colostrum. It also has higher concentrations of some growth factors and enzymes.
Human colostrum contains antibodies and growth factors that are unique to humans.
As Calfas told us: “Growth factors are used extensively to help repair the body when there is injury (it is the basis of treatments using PRP Platelet Rich Plasma and Stem Cells) to the skin and other tissues, including the reduction of hyper-permeability (aka leaky gut).”
“These growth factors are used to help plug the holes in the heart and gut that all human babies are born with (to allow antibodies, proteins and other nutrients to pass through the bloodstream).”
There are also differences in lactose.
Dr. Coetzee explained that “human colostrum has higher lactose concentrations than bovine colostrum. The lactose in human colostrum supports infants, the brain, development and growth.”
“Although bovine colostrum has lower levels of lactose, it has high levels of casein which promotes muscle development and growth.”
What are the benefits of colostrum supplements?
So why exactly do we ingest cow colostrum?
Well, differences aside, when used in supplement form, bovine colostrum can actually offer many different benefits to humans.
Dr. Coetzee said bovine colostrum supplements can be “very helpful in fighting infection, reducing inflammation and promoting gut health.”
He added, “Colostrum helps speed the healing of muscles and cartilage and through its anti-inflammatory benefits and can help aches and pains in muscles and improve joint pain.”
According to Calfas: “Many people take bovine colostrum as it can help build immunity and promote gut repair.”
“It may be particularly beneficial for people prone to respiratory illness in the winter months as it is rich in proteins that support immune function.”
So that’s it.
Should I Take Colostrum Supplements?
As mentioned above, colostrum supplements have been around for years, so they aren’t necessarily something new on the market. Still, it makes sense why they exploded,
“Given the magnitude of the last couple of years and the effect it’s had on humans globally, it makes total sense that there’s been a resurgence in the popularity of anything that can help build immunity and offer any kind of major protection against respiratory diseases,” Calfas said.
See: The Global Pandemic.
“Bovine collagen supplements offer a number of benefits for different disease processes,” said Dr. Coetzee. “Therefore, it’s no surprise that people consider these supplements to promote longevity and good health.”
As always, it’s best to check in with your doctor or healthcare professional before taking supplements willy-nilly, so hit them up and have a chat to find out if colostrum supplements are really right for you.
As we mentioned earlier, bovine colostrum is a supplement that comes from cows, so “anyone with protein allergies, especially MMA (mammal meat allergy) should NOT take a bovine supplement,” Calfas said.
When used correctly, explained Dr. Coetzee, “there is usually little harm.”
Keep in mind that supplements are not a one size fits all type of thing and it really depends on the individual.
As Calfas said, “They [bovine colostrum supplements] it can actually be beneficial for some people, but, just like you can’t overcome a poor diet, you can’t supplement a poor diet either. The lifestyle has to adapt as well.”
Feel feel.
Have you tried colostrum supplements before? Share your experience with us in the comments section below.
Featured Image: Getty; Canva.
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