How Can I Integrate Colostrum Supplements into My Life?
You may have heard about colostrum, the all-natural “superfood” supplement. While athletes like to use it as a recovery aid after exercise, colostrum supplements have also become widely popular for promoting overall health in people of all ages. If you’re wondering how to integrate colostrum into your life to take best advantage of its many health benefits, read on as we explore the following topics:
- Why colostrum supplements are important
- When should you take colostrum supplements
- What colostrum supplements can do for you
Why Colostrum Supplements are Important
One of the first foods an infant receives following birth is colostrum. This vital pre-milk fluid precedes the production of breastmilk and contains many of the most-needed nutrients that are essential to promote human and animal gut and immune health.
Colostrum is highly concentrated, easy to digest, packed with proteins and nutrient dense—so a little goes a long way in a newborn’s tiny tummy. And, perhaps more importantly, it plays a crucial role in supporting the body’s immune system.
Since all female mammals are capable of making colostrum, bovine or cow colostrum has become one of the most popular and most-used colostrum supplements today. Mother cows produce an abundance of colostrum, so it’s possible to harvest the excess and still ensure the calf gets all the nutrition it needs.
Thanks to scientific advancements, bovine colostrum is safe for human consumption, and its benefits go a long way. It’s been found to aid in treating gastrointestinal issues and concerns such as leaky gut (intestinal permeability), in athletic recovery, in nourishing and supporting skin health, and more!
Nutrients in Bovine Colostrum
The list of beneficial nutrients found in colostrum is practically endless.
Lactoferrin
The protein lactoferrin found in colostrum acts to regulate iron levels in the body and helps keep bad bacteria at bay through its unique characteristics. Lactoferrin works by expelling excess irons.
Growth Factors
Colostrum contains two growth factors (1 and 2) that help promote muscle and cartilage growth and repair. In addition to muscle and cartilage growth, these growth factors also stimulate cell growth in our skin cells, which can help curb fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots caused by the sun. These same growth factors are why many of today’s top athletes take colostrum supplements following intense workouts.
Antibodies
The abundance of natural antibodies in colostrum aids in supporting the immune system, and promoting the growth of a good microbiome. These antibodies also promote overall gut health and work synergistically in repairing leaky gut (intestinal permeability). This condition occurs when gut junctions become loose and undigested food particles slip through these spaces, which can lead to a multitude of health concerns. Colostrum helps tighten these gut junctions, allowing for better absorption of nutrients.
When Should You Take Colostrum Supplements
Sovereign Laboratories recommends taking colostrum twice a day.
Adults and children can assist the absorption of colostrum’s nutrients by taking it on an empty stomach, but you can fit it into your daily routine as convenient. We recommend taking it once in the morning, about 30 minutes before breakfast, and once before bedtime, approximately two hours after the last meal of the day.
Since colostrum is a natural supplement, it may be consumed on an empty stomach for adults. For anyone with specific health conditions, you will want to talk to your doctor before beginning a new supplement.
Infants and toddlers can also take colostrum twice a day. Because their stomachs do not yet produce the harsh acids, the concerns adults may have about colostrum being digested are less of a factor. Bottle-fed babies can take colostrum plain with water or mixed into their formula. Even pets can be given colostrum twice per day with their normal food.
Our Infant and Toddler Colostrum-LD supplements are specially formulated for newborns and children up to 36 months. To administer, mix up half a teaspoon of colostrum in 4 ounces of purified water, formula or filtered apple juice twice per day. If your infant can eat solid foods, you can mix the colostrum into yogurt, vegetable puree or apple sauce.
Some researchers believe that it is better to take a lower amount of colostrum when you start and gradually increase the amount as your body gets used to it. Others suggest front-loading your colostrum intake by taking a higher amount at first before reducing it to a normal serving. Colostrum has no known toxicity level, but you should speak with your doctor to determine the best course for your specific needs.
What Colostrum Supplements Can Do for You
Bovine colostrum is a “superfood,” and extremely nutritious. It contains proteins, carbohydrates, fats, stomach-related compounds, developmental chemicals — far more nutrients than normal cow’s milk and it is bio transferable to humans. The medicinal advantages of colostrum are connected to specific proteinaceous compounds, natural antibodies, development factors and lactoferrin.
One of the major reasons people choose to incorporate colostrum supplements into their daily routine is that they help in supporting the immune system. Antibodies are the proteins produced by the bone marrow that help the body’s immune system. In this way, taking colostrum daily can lead to better overall health.
Every choice we make regarding food and supplements plays a major role in our health and well-being. Making sure that you are choosing things that benefit your body and add nutritional value is extremely important. Colostrum not only enriches newborn babies, but it also provides many health benefits to adults who integrate colostrum supplements into their lives.
