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Can children take colostrum?
Absolutely. Colostrum
can help growing children in many ways, from better concentration, increased
memory plus children have a higher tendency to catch colds and illness from
other schoolmates and colostrum will help immensely.
Can I take colostrum with other
supplements and medications?
Colostrum actually helps your body and works to regulate your body's
absorption rates. Colostrum heals the digestive tract so well that all
substances eaten internally (food, herbs, natural healing substances, and
medications) will become more bioavailability to the body. Although colostrum
has no known drug interactions, you may find that the other supplements and
medications that you are taking could have a more pronounced effect.
Do the immunoglobulins and growth
factors in colostrum survive pasteurisation?
Tests have been carried out on colostrum (which is
flash pasteurised at 72C for 15 seconds) show that the colostrum retains its
bioactivity during this process.
How Does Colostrum Differ From Plain
Milk?
Colostrum not only contains
all the goodness of milk but also contains significant levels of growth
promoting and disease fighting substances commonly referred to as growth
factors, immune factors and immunoglobulins. These substances are also present
in milk but at negligible levels. Further, colostrum has a much higher protein,
vitamin, mineral content and is lower in lactose.
How does colostrum interact with other
medicines and supplements?
Colostrum actually helps your body and works to regulate your body's
absorption rates. In effect you will be getting more bang for your buck with
everything you consume whether its water, supplements and food. You will be
getting greater benefits since your body will be able to utilize them more. You
may even find that you don't need to take as much as normal since your body is
able to absorb all the nutrients. No known contraindications with colostrum use
with medications or supplements. Colostrum is a food.
How does colostrum produce the
anti-aging results?
Colostrum
works with your body to utilize its natural substances and increases your
overall health. After puberty our body begins slowing down the production of
growth hormones. These hormones are necessary for the reproduction of virtually
all of our body cellular tissue. It has been shown that by age 80 we are
producing virtually no growth hormones, and so we age and die. Colostrums growth
factors are the actual hormones that stimulate the normal reproduction of body
cellular tissue. Normal reproduction means just that (normal) not aged,
cancerous, wrinkled, or weakened. The New England Journal of Medicine (a few
years back) stated that the most effective anti-aging process would be simply
the replacement of growth hormones at proper levels to slow, possibly stop and
even reverse the aging processes.
How Does Colostrum
Work?
The main function in the
newborn is in the form of transfer of passive immunity from the mother to the
child. The mother has been exposed to a variety of environmental factors and
organisms to which her immune system has produced antibodies during her
lifetime. In transfer of passive immunity the mother passes on her complement of
antibodies to these various factors onto her offspring. In humans and apes the
mother passively immunises her young in utero by passage of antibodies through
the placenta. In animals where maternal antibodies do not pass the placental
barrier (horses, cattle, pigs, and sheep) the young are passively immunised
immediately after birth by way of colostrum. In these species the maternal
antibodies present in the colostrum are absorbed directly through the gut in the
first few days following birth.
How much colostrum should I
take?
The amount of colostrum you
take varies from person to person. The label suggests 2 to 3 capsules twice
daily, but if your recovering from an injury you may want to start off taking
more than this. Also, if you feel a cold or flu coming on you may want to up
your dosage to help you recover quicker and relieve your symptoms.
I am vegetarian and I do not eat
animal food.
Colostrum is neither
animal nor vegetable. We take very good care of our cattle and make sure they
are healthy and live a long happy life. Mother Nature produced colostrum for
every mammal on Earth and it is by far the healthiest choice. With that said,
the choice is completely yours.
I don't want to take colostrum away
from the baby calf's that need it!
Don't worry, we don't deprive calves of their colostrum. Calves need it
as much as any mammal and many calves would die without it. We make sure the
calves get their fill first and then we take the remainder.
Is Bovine Colostrum
Safe?
Bovine colostrums have been
used for years as a food supplement, its use and safety is well documented.
Colostrum is completely safe; it has no negative side effects and is a whole and
natural food that can be consumed in ANY quantity. There are absolutely no
toxicity levels. Further the manufacture and use of dairy products, and their
associated safety and nutritional benefits is also well known. Through quality
control management of the entire manufacturing process, from collection of the
colostrum, through to packaging and storage, ensures the colostrum is delivered
in perfect condition, certified to be fit for human consumption.
Should Colostrum be
pasteurised?
Absolutely! Cow
manure can easily splash onto the udders contaminating them with E-coli,
salmonella and other pathogenic bacteria. This creates the potential for
contamination of dairy products.
Dairy products (for human consumption)
must be pasteurised to kill these pathogens. There are two ways of pasteurising
colostrum - the optimal flash (15 second) pasteurisation and a slow 30-minute
vat process. Flash pasteurisation uses the expensive, high-tech equipment found
in the modern dairy that does not denature the colostrum. With the less
expensive, 30-minute pasteurisation process, a huge vat of colostrum is heated
from the outside. It takes a long time to heat a large kettle of colostrum to
the required temperature. During this interval, bacteria grow in the colostrum.
As the bacteria feed upon the colostrum, it denatures and destroys its
effectiveness. Most colostrum that is being sold to the public today has been
prepared for the animal feed market and has not been pasteurised. Colostrum is
pasteurised to the most demanding of International Standards - 72°C for 15
seconds - to ensure the highest microbiological quality.
Should I be taking colostrum if I am
pregnant?
Colostrum definitely
wont hurt you or your fetus, but as always with anything you take during
pregnancy you should check with your health care professional first.. Colostrum
will help to supplement your immune system which suffers during child birth, it
will help you recover faster and it will also help you to lose those extra
pounds quicker associated with pregnancy.
What about my pets? Can they benefit
from colostrum?
Yes! As a matter
of fact, most pets love colostrum. Bovine colostrum is not species specific,
dogs and cats will gain many health benefits from colostrum.
What are Antibodies?
Antibodies are very specialized molecules that are
produced by the body's immune system. They are produced in response to the host
being exposed to an immunogenic or foreign substance (antigen) such as an
infectious microbe. There action is to ward off and or neutralise potentially
disease-causing agents. A very important feature of antibodies is that are
directed specifically to their antigen that induced their formation.
What are growth
factors?
Growth factors are very
small bio-active molecules which promote growth and maturation of various cell
types and tissues. They are found in very high concentrations in colostrum. They
not only stimulate normal growth and development but also help regenerate and
accelerate the repair of aged or injured muscle, skin, bone, cartilage and nerve
tissues. Growth factors also stimulate the body to burn fat for fuel instead of
muscle tissue in times of fasting or dieting. They also help build lean muscle
and have been shown to have a positive effect on athletic performance.
What are Immune
Factors?
In addition to
immunoglobulins there are other substances in colostrum that have an immune
function. Collectively they have been termed "Immune Factors". Their function is
to complement the various functions associated with the immune response
What are
Immunoglobulins?
The
immunoglobulins are a group of specialised bio-active proteins or molecules
found in serum and other tissue fluids, including the milk of all mammals. There
are five classes of immunoglobulin that are recognised in mammals Immunoglobulin
G (IgG), Immunoglobulin A (IgA), Immunoglobulin M (IgM), Immunoglobulin E (IgE),
and Immunoglobulin D (IgD). The function of these molecules is to bind to
invading organisms and to activate specific actions that help prevent to prevent
infection and to rid the body of disease causing agents. They function in cell
killing, inflammation and prevention of bacterial and viral attachment. The most
prevalent class of immunoglobulin in all species is IgG. Immunoglobulins have an
integral role in the immune defence system in that they form antibodies.
What if I'm a sports
person?
Sports people's bodies
need optimum nutrition and they frequently injure themselves when playing so
colostrum is vital, both for optimum and faster rates of healing after injury.
What if I'm lactose
intolerant?
The amount of lactose
in colostrum is scant - 163 mg. in two capsules compared to 13,000 mg. in one
8-oz of milk. Any discomfort would more likely be a sign that colostrum is
healing the digestive tract.
What if I'm over
weight?
Colostrum is great for
making the body work more effectively, which makes weight loss easier.
What is Colostrum?
Colostrum is the first food for growth and
immunity; it is the pre-milk or rather the first lacteal secretion that is
produced by the mother in all mammals immediately following the birth of her
young. Colostrum is frequently referred to as “lifes first food”. It not only
supports life but also makes it flourish. Colostrum is produced in the first few
days following the birth of the newborn. Colostrum is a non-toxic,
non-allergenic food supplement that has no known negative interactions with
drugs, food or other supplements. Each drop contains the promise of life: the
immunoglobulins, growth factors, antibodies, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino
acids, and other substances designed to provide the body with the ability to
face a lifetime of invasion by micro-organisms and environmental toxins.
Colostrum is a non-toxic, non-allergenic food supplement that has no negative
interactions with drugs, food or other supplements.
What is
Immuno-Supplementation?
Local
protection in the form of immuno-supplementation with bovine antibodies has been
shown to be an effective means of providing local protection to the
gastrointestinal tract against disease.
Bovine immunoglobulin in the form
of antibodies, both specific and non-specific, has been shown to be effective
against various diseases. In trials it has been successfully shown that specific
antibodies in bovine milk are effective against both enteropathogenic and
enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, cryptosporidium, rotavirus, and Shigella
flexneri.
What is Passive
Immunity?
In all species of
mammals the transfer of passive immunity occurs where the mother passes on her
complement of antibodies to her young. In the case of the newborn this helps in
protecting the young against potentially pathogen agents until the time it's own
immune system is sufficiently developed to ward of infection on it's own.
What is Passive Local
Protection?
In humans passive
transmission of immunity occurs prior to birth and thus a newborn human baby at
birth is born with a complement of maternal antibodies. After birth the
antibodies present in human colostrum and milk function in local protection of
the gut. In animals like the horse, cow, sheep, and goat passive transmission of
maternal antibodies occurs in the first 20-48 hours following birth by way of
colostrum. During this time the newborn animal absorbs intact maternal
antibodies present in the colostrum directly through the digestive tract. After
the first few days the animal's digestive tract matures (gut closure) and the
direct adsorption of intact antibody ceases. At this point any antibodies
present in the colostrum and milk act in local protection of the
gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
What is the Adaptive Immune
System?
The adaptive immune
system produces a specific response in response to an infective agent. This
specific response is in the form of antibodies, which are produced to neutralize
the invading agent.
A very important feature of the adaptive immune
system is that it involves memory, in that gives rise to resistance to repeated
exposure or infection by the same invading agent. The importance of this memory
factor is seen in childhood diseases such as Chicken Pox, Measles, and Mumps in
which the adaptive immune system produces a life-long immunity following
infection.
What is the Immune
System?
The immune system is a
natural defence mechanism by which the body fights infection. It is divided into
two functional systems, the innate and adaptive immune systems.
What is the Innate Immune
System?
This is the first line of
defence by which the host combats infectious agents and pathogenic microbes.
This is non-specific response, which proves effective against most infective
agents. The skin is part of the innate immune system as it acts as a preventive
barrier to most infective agents.
When is colostrum
collected?
The first colostrum
collected after birth is reserved for the newborn calf. New Image colostrum is
collected within first 36 hours.
Why Bovine
Colostrum?
Interestingly, bovine
colostrum is the only form of colostrum that is not species specific. In other
words, it contains all of the immune and growth factors found in all other
sources and thus it can significantly benefit all other mammals, including
humans of course.
Because calves are born without any immunity to
airborne, disease-causing organisms, their mothers colostrum must contain a very
large amount of immune and health factors. As a result bovine colostrum has 10 -
21 times the factors of human colostrum, making it the richest source of
colostrum available.
Why Can't I Get Colostrum From A Local
Farmer?
You can. It needs to be
refrigerated and consumed before it spoils. Raw colostrum is not pasteurised and
contains immune factors from just one cow. This differs from processed
colostrum, which is concentrated and provides a broad base of immune factors
that have been pooled from hundreds and sometimes thousands of cows.
Why do I need colostrum, as an
adult?
Once puberty has passed,
our bodies begin the aging process by gradually producing less of the immune and
growth factors that help us fight off disease and heal damaged body tissue.
Colostrum is the only natural source of these life-giving components.
Why is Colostrum
Important?
Colostrum is the first
food that is available to the newborn. It is not only highly nutritious but also
contains substances (immunoglobulins and immune factors) that help to stimulate
and augment the newborns immune system thus helping to protect the vulnerable
newborn from it's new potentially harmful environment (passive transmission of
immunity). Further it contains contains substances (growth factors and
cytokines) which act to stimulate the development, maturation and proliferation
of various tissues and organs.
The significance of colostrum is best
illustrated in farm animals, such as the horse, cow, goat, sheep and pig. In
these animals passive transmission of immunity occurs after birth in the form of
colostrum. If these animals do not receive colostrum in the first 12 - 24 hours
following birth they have a very good chance of not surviving (mortality rates
of up to 25% have been reported).
Why is Local Passive Protection
Important?
The importance of
passive local protection is evidenced in the newborn calf where diarrhoea and
other enteric infections (scours) can prove fatal. It has been widely accepted
that the best source of nourishment for the infant mammal is mother's milk. This
has largely been attributed to not only the nutritional benefits of mother's
milk but also the presence of milk immunoglobulins providing local passive
protection of the GI tract.
Why New Zealand
Colostrum?
New Zealand Colostrum
is recognised as the world's premium colostrum. Why? Because it is collected
only from pasture-fed cows, that are pesticide, antibiotic and hormone free. New
Zealand has a strong competitive advantage in colostrum production due in part
to NZ's dairy cows all calving during a single three-month period each year.
This means NZ Colostrum is collected in bulk and transported in a fresh
chilled state from farms to the processing plant, in the same way as milk. This
is a critical production advantage, because gentle handling, and low temperature
collection and process technology preserve Colostrum's active ingredients. In
other countries, colostrum is collected in batches until there is enough to
process. This means it must be stored for long periods before processing, so it
is frozen. Rapid freezing and rapid thawing techniques prior to processing may
cause damage to the protein molecules and may compromise the integrity and
biological activity of the immunoglobulins, growth factors and other
biologically active components. As an example if you had the choice would you
rather buy fresh fish or frozen? The obvious choice is fresh.
The
absolutely best source of colostrum is from the early milk of pasture fed,
non-hyperimmunised, healthy New Zealand cows. It is our temperate climate
combined with our farming practices make New Zealand the absolute best supplier
of colostrum. Further New Zealand milk products are renowned worldwide for their
quality and consistency in both manufacture and supply. International quality
auditors to ISO 9001 standards certify the testing laboratories and all
manufacturing facilities.
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