By Frank Tabino | Category: ANTI-AGING SUPPLEMENTS, immune booster
What supplements should I take? As a nutritionist, I’ve had that question asked of me many times. Nutritional supplements, as the name implies, should supplement your diet, not replace it. Your diet should first be analyzed to determine which nutrients you should supplement. But there are certain supplements that I could recommend without knowing anything about someone’s diet. One of those supplements is Colostrum, a dietary supplement that I have been taking for more than 15 years.
What is Colostrum?
Colostrum is nature’s first food. It is the initial mammary secretion that every mammal gives its newborn. Produced by the mother for only a short period, it contains numerous compounds that affect more than 50 processes in the body. It supports the immune system and the regeneration and growth of all types of cells. Recent studies have shown it to be extremely beneficial, not only for the newborn, but for humans and animals of all ages.
The immune factors in Colostrum provide protection for the newborn against bacteria, toxins, virus and disease. Colostrum can offer this same protection to adults and children. The antibodies against many pathogens are contained in Colostrum, which can protect us today and in the future.
Growth factors contained in Colostrum are instrumental in promoting rapid healing and repair of damaged tissues in the newborn. In the adult, these same growth factors are involved in healing and repair of tissues and organs. With consistent use, the growth factors in Colostrum continually regenerate and rebuild the entire body. People of all ages can use colostrum and take advantage of the anti-aging benefits like more energy, smoother skin, better digestion and the ability to maintain a healthy weight.
Colostrum has a long history of medicinal uses throughout the ages. Colostrum has been used for hundreds of years by Ayurvedic Physicians, who have used colostrum to treat their patients for everything from the common cold to diseases of the aged. When I was a teenager, colostrum was known worldwide for its immune system modulating properties and was widely used in the treatment autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. To demonstrate its versatility, researchers used the immune factors in colostrum to develop the polio vaccine.
In the last few years, the scientific community has rediscovered a multitude of benefits from this natural “food.” Over 4000 clinical studies have been published on the use of Colostrum and its components to treat a variety of diseases and health concerns. In fact, pharmaceutical companies have been so intrigued with several of the components in Colostrum, that they have synthesized them for use in expensive anti-aging clinics.
Why Bovine Colostrum?
The immune factors and growth factors contained in bovine (cow) Colostrum have been shown to be identical to those contained in human Colostrum ““ not just identical, but many times more potent. In addition, cows produce an abundance of this “first food” ““ enough to supply human needs without depriving newborn calves. For healing and regeneration, bovine Colostrum may even be better than human Colostrum, because of its potency.
The Immune Tree Difference
There are many products on the market that claim to be colostrum; however, for a product to meet the scientific definition of colostrum, it must be collected from the cow during the first milking after birthing. During this first milking, the immune factors and growth factors in the colostrum are at their highest. However, within 12 hours following the first milking, the immune and growth factors become increasingly diluted with milk and the potency of the immune and growth factors is decreased by 50%.
When choosing a colostrum product, if it does not say first-milking on the label, it is not true colostrum.
Most producers of Colostrum admit that their product comes from the first 4 to 6 milkings after the birth of the calf ““ as old as 72 hours. Immune Tree Colostrum is collected only from the first milking following birthing. Immune Tree Colostrum contains only “first-milking” Colostrum. It is never diluted with transitional milk ““ never adulterated ““ never fractionated.
How to use Colostrum
Many natural health practitioners suggest that for best results, Colostrum should be taken in larger doses when first starting (perhaps twice as much), with maintenance doses after the desired results are obtained.
Colostrum has a half-life of 16 hours, so for maximum benefit it is important to take it twice a day. Most alternative practitioners recommend a minimum maintenance dosage of two to four capsules twice a day. Dr. Daniel G. Clark, who wrote the book “COLOSTRUM “” LIFE’S FIRST FOOD, “ suggests a minimum dosage of 3,000 mg or three capsules twice a day. Each person’s body assimilates and uses Colostrum differently, so you may need to experiment to determine what dosage is best for you.
Capsules should be taken on an empty stomach without any food or other supplements (at least 30 minutes before you eat or at least two hours after you eat) with 8-12 oz. of water. I recommend taking colostrum before breakfast, and then again several hours after lunch, or an hour before dinner. Try to get into a routine so you always remember. The immune factors in Colostrum work best if they are helped to reach the small intestine ““ and the best way to achieve this is to take capsules with plenty of water.
