Potential Benefits of Bovine Colostrum in Pediatric Nutrition and Health.

Per Torp Sangild,Douglas G Burrin,Caitlin Vonderohe,Valeria Melendez Hebib

doi:10.3390/nu13082551

Abstract

Bovine colostrum (BC), the first milk produced from cows after parturition, is increasingly used as a nutritional supplement to promote gut function and health in other species, including humans. The high levels of whey and casein proteins, immunoglobulins (Igs), and other milk bioactives in BC are adapted to meet the needs of newborn calves. However, BC supplementation may improve health outcomes across other species, especially when immune and gut functions are immature in early life. We provide a review of BC composition and its effects in infants and children in health and selected diseases (diarrhea, infection, growth-failure, preterm birth, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), short-bowel syndrome, and mucositis). Human trials and animal studies (mainly in piglets) are reviewed to assess the scientific evidence of whether BC is a safe and effective antimicrobial and immunomodulatory nutritional supplement that reduces clinical complications related to preterm birth, infections, and gut disorders. Studies in infants and animals suggest that BC should be supplemented at an optimal age, time, and level to be both safe and effective. Exclusive BC feeding is not recommended for infants because of nutritional imbalances relative to human milk. On the other hand, adverse effects, including allergies and intolerance, appear unlikely when BC is provided as a supplement within normal nutrition guidelines for infants and children. Larger clinical trials in infant populations are needed to provide more evidence of health benefits when patients are supplemented with BC in addition to human milk or formula. Igs and other bioactive factors in BC may work in synergy, making it critical to preserve bioactivity with gentle processing and pasteurization methods. BC has the potential to become a safe and effective nutritional supplement for several pediatric subpopulations.

Highlights

Bovine colostrum (BC) is produced by cows in the first days after parturition and provides nutrition and immunological protection of highly sensitive newborn calves [1].The difference between colostrum and milk results from a partially open blood–milk barrier in the mammary gland around birth [2]
We showed that BC-fed preterm piglets had a remarkable capacity to rapidly adapt their gut and immune development to that in term pigs [167,168], while brain and neurodevelopment were slower in reaching normal levels [169,170,171,172] when fed BC during the first week
A BC concentrate significantly increased adaptation and circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) [266,267] and glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-2) [268]. These findings suggest that the effect of BC in developing Short bowel syndrome (SBS) individuals is highly dependent on the stage of maturation, as well as many other confounding variables

Summary

Introduction

Bovine colostrum (BC) is produced by cows in the first days after parturition and provides nutrition and immunological protection of highly sensitive newborn calves [1].The difference between colostrum and milk results from a partially open blood–milk barrier in the mammary gland around birth [2]. Bovine colostrum (BC) is produced by cows in the first days after parturition and provides nutrition and immunological protection of highly sensitive newborn calves [1]. As highlighted in the introductory article of this review series [3], the provision of mammary secretions in the form of colostrum and mature milk for newborns is an essential survival function that has evolved over millennia in mammal species. In humans, following the production of colostrum immediately after parturition, the subsequent two weeks postpartum is a time of secretory activation and increased volume secretion of what we eventually consider mature milk [4]. A second critical function of colostrum and milk after birth is to provide immune protection that supports elements of neonatal innate immunity until maturation of adaptive immunity related to the specific environment [5]. The antimicrobial activity of colostrum from one species should be (at least partly) effective in another species

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Conclusion