Center for Nutritional Research - All about Colostrum

Donald Henderson, MD, MPH, a gastroenterologist in Inglewood and Los Angeles, California, is currently the Chief of Staff at the Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles and a partner in West Gastroenterology Group. He is also an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine and Gastroenterology at UCLA School of Medicine and a Clinical Professor of Family Practice at the Charles Drew Medical School, also in Los Angeles. He is a Graduate from Howard University, University of Florida Medical School. He interned at the Harvard School of Medicine Hospital. He is considered a world expert in gastrointestinal disease and the relationship of GI health and chronic disease.

Here is what he has to say about bovine colostrum: The following are excerpts from his book: ‘Colostrum: Nature’s Healing Miracle,’ Donald R. Henderson, MD, MPH; Debora Mitchell,  CNR Publications, 2000.

The safety of bovine colostrum

• Only colostrum from dairy cows has been shown to be safe, natural, effective and biologically transferable for human use.
• Colostrum is a nontoxic, non-allergenic food supplement that has no negative interactions with drugs, food, or other supplements.
• Bovine colostrum is not a drug: It is a safe, natural, non-allergenic food, taken by humans to treat and heal dozens of conditions- plus help create new levels of vitality and well being.
• To insure a pure, unadulterated product (colostrum) cows should be pasture-fed on grass that has not been treated with pesticide, herbicide, or fungicide. They should not be subjected to courses of antibiotics, steroids, and growth hormones as are most other dairy cows. These substances contaminate the colostrum and milk of cows, in addition to posing potential health risks to those who ingest the milk or colostrum, render the colostrum less effective.
• When cows feed on naturally raised pasture, they are exposed to a great variety of naturally occurring disease causing organisms, which allows them to develop natural immunity, which is then passed on in their colostrum.
• Bovine colostrum contains substances that are effective against many of the different microorganisms that are now resistant to the antibiotics on the market
• Bovine colostrum is not species specific. That means it can be consumed safely by every mammal, including humans. In particular, the molecular structure of the immune and growth factors in bovine colostrum is very similar to those found in humans. In a sense, cows are universal donors of colostrum.

The effectiveness of Bovine colostrum

• Bovine colostrum contains greater levels of some factors than does human colostrum. This fact is especially important for the immunoglobulin (a protein that acts as an anti-body) called IgG. Dr. C.E. Bruce discovered that while human colostrum contains only 2 percent of this critical immunoglobulin, bovine colostrum contains up to 38 percent. IgG is considered to be one of the body’s most important Immunoglobulins, because it is active against so many different microorganisms, many of which are now resistant to antibiotics now on the market. The increasing inability of antibiotics to fight common and often deadly microorganisms makes the use of colostrum of paramount importance in this fight we cannot afford to lose. So in a sense, Bovine colostrum is even better for you than human colostrum.
• Immunoglobulins are of critical importance because bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. New viruses are multiplying and mutating faster than the vaccines to combat them. And bacterial and viral infections are being linked to more diseases, e.g. cancer, peptic ulcers, and heart disease. In fact, the relationship between bacterial infection and heart disorders has strong evidence to support it. Colostrum and its rich supply of Immunoglobulins (cytokines, PRP, Lactoferrin and other immune factors) may play a major role in combating this serious health problem (number 1 cause of death).
• Immunoglobulins in bovine colostrum provide unique protection against virtually all disease causing organisms. And it is unique because the levels of immune factors in bovine colostrum are ten to twenty times greater than those found in human colostrum.
• Your body can make good use of those Immunoglobulins. The majority of Immunoglobulins are manufactured in the bowel. Bovine colostrum delivers its Immunoglobulins to the bowel, it’s a perfect match.
• Physicians use immunoglobulin as the key factor in the prevention and treatment of infectious diarrhea and other conditions including anemia, chickenpox, chronic fatigue syndrome, hepatitis, multiple sclerosis, neutropenia and systemic lupus.
• Bovine colostrum’s (immune and growth) interconnected components are completely compatible with your body.
• Everybody needs to enhance their immune system to help avoid the need for antibiotics and to counteract their immune damaging effects. Colostrum supplies that enhancement.
• Colostrum can destroy cancer-causing agents and other toxins in the environment before they can damage your body.
• Colostrum contains growth factors that can help your body better utilize the food you eat and burn more fat.
• Colostrum is effective as both a treatment and a preventative measure for the immune system. It can prevent diseases and conditions such as colds, flu, diarrhea, sinusitis, asthma, allergies, herpes, viral bronchitis, candidiasis, and ear infections because it can boost underactive or weakened immune function. At the same time, it also can balance an overactive immune system, which is the situation for people who have an autoimmune disease (in which the body attacks its own healthy cells). Such conditions include Fibromyalgia, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and scleroderma, among many others. (see references to PRP a major component of bovine colostrum).
• When I first heard the claims about colostrum I dismissed them. Now, after seeing the research and seeing patient’s results for myself, I am a believer. My confidence in colostrum’s abilities is shared by many of my colleagues. In hundreds of reports, physicians, and researchers note their experiences with colostrum.

Gastrointestinal Health / leaky gut syndrome and its relation to chronic disease:

• Nature offers us another chance to restore our health and to create a healthy internal environment that continually promotes it. Colostrum provides that chance.
• The most convincing proof of the link between GI health and overall health is the existence of leaky gut syndrome. Fortunately, bovine colostrum is the ideal solution for this condition.
• The Immunoglobulins in bovine colostrum provide unique protection against disease causing) bacteria and viruses.
• Chronic Diarrhea; Colostrum and AIDS: AIDS leaves people wide open for all types of potentially deadly infections. Chronic diarrhea is one of the most common symptoms. It can rapidly further reduce patient’s ability to fight infection and deplete them of essential nutrients and body fluids. The result is a wasting process that can be stopped if the intestinal mucosa (lining of intestine) can be healed. Colostrum can not only eliminate the infectious pathogens and restore intestinal health but also prevent the diarrhea from starting in the first place.
• I’ve had particularly good success in combating unspecified diarrhea with colostrum. Colostrum is easy to recommend when the cause of a diarrheal condition is unknown, both because of its broad spectrum efficacy, and also because it seems to be completely free of side effects. In addition to successfully combating harmful organisms in the intestines, colostrum also encourages the colonization of beneficial bacteria in the bowel.
• The Center of Health: The Bowel:  It is important to know that nearly 80 percent of all pathogens enter the body through or attached to mucosal surfaces and the largest of mucosal surfaces is the gastrointestinal tract. The GI tract is where most infectious organisms enter the body and where the antibodies and beneficial bacteria work to attack invading pathogens and stop disease before they can take hold. Bovine colostrum Immunoglobulins help prevent and treat diarrhea and colitis associated with Clostridium Difficile.
• There is a link between infections of the bowel and those in the lungs. Once colostrum is in the bowel its Immunoglobulins stimulate the production of antibodies in both the intestinal tract and the lungs.
• The most convincing proof of the link between GI health and overall health is the existence of leaky gut syndrome. Leaky gut syndrome is a condition in which your bowels are full of holes and leaking out the contents. This is a very common condition; at least as common as all the immune diseases combined. This condition allows toxic substances such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other harmful factors to enter the bloodstream and reach every part of the body. In a healthy gut these toxins are eliminated.
• Leaky gut also allows undigested fats and proteins to enter the body resulting in allergic responses. Food allergies develop when protein molecules from food pass through the intestinal wall and are absorbed before they are completely metabolized. The immune system recognizes these proteins as invaders and creates antibodies against them and an allergy is born. Leaky gut and intestinal inflammation can be triggered by the use of antibiotics, corticosteroids (e.g. prednisone), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, e.g. aspirin, ibuprofen, etc., birth control pills, foods contaminated by pesticides, molds, yeast or bacteria E. coli, salmonella, rotavirus, C. difficile, Shigella, Listeria, HIV), excessive intake of refined sugars, enzyme deficiency (e.g. celiac disease), caffeine, alcohol, food additives, surgery, and a decrease in blood supply to the bowel.
• Colostrum maintains a healthy intestinal environment, which helps prevent the development of allergies and leaky gut syndrome.
• Leaky gut syndrome is directly associated with may autoimmune diseases including: Alopecia areata, chronic fatigue syndrome, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, fibromyalgia, hives, irritable bowel syndrome (which appears to be much more common than previously recognized), inflammatory bowel disuse, multiple sclerosis, polymyalgia rheumatica, Reynaud’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, Sjogren’s syndrome, ulcerative colitis and vasculitis.  The association between leaky gut syndrome and these conditions is this: the antibodies created by the body in response to the toxic substances that leak into the bloodstream can attach to various tissues throughout the body and trigger (the destruction of our own tissue and organs) creating inflammation. As more and more of these substances are poured into the body auto antibodies are created, and the destruction and inflammation becomes chronic. The type of autoimmune disease that can develop depends on the location of the inflammation. If this happens in the blood vessels, vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels occurs). When inflammation affects a joint, rheumatoid arthritis is the result. If the antibodies attack the gut, Chron’s disease can develop, etc.
• Leaky gut syndrome reaches still further. The inflammation in the gut damages our ability to produce IgA and immunoglobulin which works in the gut to prevent infection. Without IgA, pathogens can escape into the bloodstream and infect any part of the body. This leads to an increase in infections, overburdening immune response, creating an overburden of pathogens that damage the liver whose job it is to detoxify the body. This leads to loss of concentration, energy and other mental abilities, skin infections and irritations such as hives as the skin organ attempts to detoxify that which the liver is failing to provide.
• Colostrum is the ideal solution for leaky gut syndrome. As a gastroenterologist, I find the ability of colostrum to help with this pervasive and widespread condition to be especially exciting. Because colostrum reaches the gut while its components are still intact and viable, its Immunoglobulins and other factors can attack the offending pathogens in the intestines and prevent them from causing damage. The growth factors have anti-inflammatory action and also help repair damaged cells in the lining, decreasing cellular spacing, and thus preventing leakage.
• For individuals who already have a disease associated with leaky gut syndrome, colostrum is a critical part of the healing process. Unless the gut is healed, the body will not begin to repair the damage that began with the source of the problem:  The permeable gut. As healing begins, the amount of toxins dumped into the bloodstream will decline. Nutritional uptake will improve, the cells will have better access to the fuel they need to perform repairs and to reproduce, organ function will improve, and energy levels will rise.

NOTE: Leaky gut syndrome is often not recognized by physicians. If you have one of the conditions associated with leaky gut there are several diagnostic tests that your physician can do.