Chapter 1 - Health Benefits of Bovine Colostrum in Children and Adults

Abstract

Colostrum is a thick, sticky, yellowish mammary secretion that all mammals provide to their newborns during the first 24–48 hours after delivery. Human newborns receive colostrum from their mothers during the first few hours after birth, and this “Elixir of Life” not only provides naturally produced nutrients and antibodies in a highly concentrated low volume but also creates the foundation of life-long immunity. Colostrum is rich in immunoglobulins and lactoferrin, growth, and antimicrobial factors, all of which promote tissue growth and maturation of digestive tract and immune function in neonatal animals and humans. The immunoglobulins present in colostrum invoke antimicrobial activity by forming a chelated complex with bacterial and viral antigens. It has been reported that constituents from bovine colostrum (BC) are 100-fold to 1000-fold more potent than human colostrum. This means that if the human neonates do not get enough maternal colostrum to build their passive immunity, then they can rely on cow or buffalo colostrum to gain health benefits. There is emerging evidence that BC may be one of the promising nutraceuticals which can prevent or mitigate various diseases in newborns and adults. Immunity-related disorders are one of the leading causes of morbidity in the world. BC has the potential to enhance the immune function and well-being of healthy persons and patients. The immunoglobulins and lactoferrin present in colostrum are known to build natural immunity in newborns, which helps to reduce the mortality rate in this population. Lactoferrin is involved in several physiological and protective functions, including regulation of iron absorption in the bowel, antioxidant, anticancer, antiinflammatory, and antimicrobial activities. As opposed to milk, BC has less lactose, and therefore may be suitable for patients suffering from lactose intolerance. A limited number of human and animal studies done with colostrum supplements are indicative of future prospects for helping in curing diseases like AIDS, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal disorders, infectious diseases, wound healing, and certain cancers. Since colostrum has several naturally occurring important nutritional components, well-designed, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies with colostrum products are needed to widen their therapeutic role in children and adults. It indeed seems to be a treasure trove that, if tapped, could eventually reveal many health benefits and cost-effective cures in humans. This review summarizes the comparative amounts of fat, proteins, lactose, vitamins, and minerals present in human, cow, buffalo, and goat colostrum. The major objectives of this review are to create awareness about the nutraceutical properties of colostrum, and to discuss the various ongoing alternative treatments of colostrum and its active ingredients as well as to address colostrum’s future nutraceutical and therapeutic intervention in humans.