Colostrum is a milky substance produced by mothers during the first few days after giving birth that provides antibodies, antimicrobial proteins, and other important nutrients to newborn babies throughout the mammalian world.
“For babies in their early stages of life, it's liquid gold,” said Jennifer Smilowitz, an assistant professor of lactation science at the University of California, Davis.
Several companies are now marketing colostrum harvested from cows as a supplement for humans, with benefits such as regulating the immune system, improving digestive health, supporting skin regeneration, and promoting post-exercise recovery. claims to be helpful.
Here's what experts said about these claims:
Potential benefits of bovine colostrum
Much of the previous research on bovine colostrum, which can be taken as a pill, powder, liquid, or enema, has focused on how it affects gut health.
in Trial involving 160 children In cases of recurrent diarrhea, those who took bovine colostrum supplements had less diarrhea and vomiting after two days than those who took a placebo. There are also early results suggesting this supplement may be able to reduce abdominal pain. person with colitis and reduces diarrhea Adults with HIV/AIDS And then children with autism.
Experts said it's not entirely clear how exactly this supplement helps with intestinal issues. some research suggest Helps maintain a healthy gastrointestinal system It may reduce digestive problems in some people because it reduces intestinal permeability. In newborn mammals, high levels of antibodies in colostrum help fight infections and reduce inflammation in the intestines, Dr. Smilowitz said, and are important for sealing and strengthening the developing intestine. It is said to contain growth factors. However, there is no evidence yet to suggest that bovine colostrum supplements are equally effective in adults.
In another paper, Researchers reviewed the results of seven trials involving 445 participants and found that bovine colostrum supplements may reduce the risk of upper respiratory tract infections. According to the review authors, colostrum may support the regeneration of the lining of the upper respiratory tract and may provide antibodies that help certain immune cells kill other cells infected with the virus. It is said that there is.
This paper and other studies on the benefits of colostrum, including studies on children with autism and colitis, were funded by or partially conducted by supplement manufacturers or have ties to colostrum supplement companies. It is run by researchers.
Dr. Per Sangild, a professor of comparative pediatrics and nutrition at the University of Copenhagen who studies bovine colostrum, said more data are now available on how bovine colostrum affects the immune system. He said he wanted to know. (Dr. Sangild holds a patent for the use of bovine colostrum in premature infants, but refuses to share any profits from it.) Human colostrum provides additional immune protection to newborns But that may not be what healthy adults need, he said. . And there can be risks, especially if it dampens certain immune responses and inhibits the body's ability to fight germs, he said.
In a study also supported by supplement manufacturers, cyclists who consumed bovine colostrum found that improved performanceand the soccer player recovered From exercise faster, Compare yourself to your peers taking a placebo.
There is still no rigorous published data to support claims that this supplement can support skin regeneration, lead to weight loss, and reverse age-related changes. And experts said studies conducted so far have only provided limited evidence. While some have reported positive results, others have been unable to reproduce their observations or results. No benefits found. Much larger and longer-term trials will be needed to prove actual benefits and rule out any negative effects of long-term use.
“We don't know what's going to happen in three weeks, four weeks, six months,” Dr. Sangild says.
Safety and surveillance concerns
To make the supplement, colostrum is collected from cows within three days of calving, frozen, and pasteurized into a powder.
However, the heat used for sterilization “can destroy some of the good ingredients in the product,” Dr. Sangild said, even though bovine colostrum contains beneficial ingredients. , which means that it may not end up as a supplement. There is also no standard manufacturing process for these products. One Research on 20 types of bovine colostrum supplements We found that supplements sold for human use vary widely in their effects on cells.
Bovine colostrum as a supplement does not require approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, leaving quality control to the manufacturer.
“The laws regulating supplements are not up to the challenge of regulating complex chemical mixtures like bovine colostrum,” said Dr. Peter Cohen, a physician and supplement researcher at Cambridge Health Alliance. To tell.
“It's an interesting compound to explore,” he said. “But at this point, it's not ready for prime time.”
Dr. Smilowitz said he is hopeful that bovine colostrum can help certain patients with immune or intestinal problems. But without more data or monitoring, people interested in this should be “cautious” and start by talking to their doctors, she said.
