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Once the calf is born, the biologically active components found in the ?first milk? colostrum change very quickly. With these changes in mind, it's important to know what makes up that ?first milk? colostrum in order to get the most biologically active substances that are available in it.
Protein
Complete bovine colostrum contains a numerous amount of proteins. These proteins can have significant health benefits for humans. Before birth, these beneficial proteins are carried in the bloodstream of the mother cow; however, the mother cow begins to reabsorb these proteins after six to eight hours after her calf is born. This makes the first milking of colostrum the key in obtaining the highest amount of proteins available by the mother cow. 24 hours after birth casein and albumin are the only beneficial proteins found in the mother's milk.
Colostral Fat
The milk fat in complete first milking colostrum is one the most under-rated and misunderstood components by many companies that promote bovine colostrum for human consumption. There are all kinds of stories, none of which are ever substantiated with any scientific evidence that the fat in colostrum doesn't serve any purpose and/or that having it there leads to faster deterioration of the product. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, one of the companies that removes the fat from what they call "colostrum" then adds a component of the fat back to their dried products. They claim that this makes their "colostrum" more digestible, which was one of the functions of the fat in complete colostrum in the first place. Casein is a nutritionally valuable complete protein that is broken down in the stomach to small peptides and amino acids so that they can be absorbed and used to build new muscle protein by forming a cottage cheese-like curd in the stomach. This occurs enzymatically in the newborn and the adult and the basis for the curd that forms is the fat in the colostrum. So without it, in addition to losing some significant biologically active substances that are associated with the fat, one loses most of the nutritional value of the casein. That is part of the reason why the fat content of colostrum increases with time after birth as the amount of casein increases in the secreted fluid. Mother nature doesn't waste much and has organized the components of colostrum and their changing pattern in an efficient way to maximize the benefits to the offspring that is going to receive it.
High quality first milking bovine colostrum will contain 20-30% milk fat.2 The milk fat in colostrum is also a very important means to deliver some of its beneficial biologically active substances.1,3 Dissolved in or associated with the fat in colostrum are vitamins A, D, E and K; steroid hormones; corticosteroids; some growth factors; and insulin.
Lactose (milk sugar).
Bovine colostrum contains 10-15% lactose. When lactose is broken down in the saliva and the stomach of the calf, it creates an immediate metabolic energy source for the calf. The mother's milk increases in its lactose content as the calf develops. 6 hours after the birth of the calf the lactose content is half of the lactose content 12 hours after birth and a third of the lactose content 24 hours after birth.
The metabolic energy that comes from lactose being broken down from the lactase enzyme in the saliva and stomach can also benefit humans. For those people who are lactose intolerant, their bodies struggle to digest lactose because their bodies have little or don't have the lactase enzyme. Most of these people can use bovine colostrum as a dietary supplement without having to worry about it causing them discomfort due to their lactose intolerance.
More Compositional Considerations
The benefits of ?first milking? colostrum verses milk can be found as follows:
Vitamin A is found to be 10 times greater in colostrum than milk.
Colostrum has 3 times the amount of vitamin D than milk
Colostrum has 10 times the amount of iron than milk
Phosphorous, magnesium and calcium are found to be greater in colostrum than milk.
Biologically Active Components
Metabolic Factors, Growth Factors and Immune Factors are the major categories bovine colostrum can be divided into. When looking into bovine colostrum, be aware of companies' interpretations of what these components do rather than what the original studies show.
Once the calf is born, the biologically active components found in the ?first milk? colostrum change very quickly. With these changes in mind, it's important to know what makes up that ?first milk? colostrum in order to get the most biologically active substances that are available in it.
Protein
Complete bovine colostrum contains a numerous amount of proteins. These proteins can have significant health benefits for humans. Before birth, these beneficial proteins are carried in the bloodstream of the mother cow; however, the mother cow begins to reabsorb these proteins after six to eight hours after her calf is born. This makes the first milking of colostrum the key in obtaining the highest amount of proteins available by the mother cow. 24 hours after birth casein and albumin are the only beneficial proteins found in the mother's milk.
Colostral Fat
The milk fat in complete first milking colostrum is one the most under-rated and misunderstood components by many companies that promote bovine colostrum for human consumption. There are all kinds of stories, none of which are ever substantiated with any scientific evidence that the fat in colostrum doesn't serve any purpose and/or that having it there leads to faster deterioration of the product. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, one of the companies that removes the fat from what they call "colostrum" then adds a component of the fat back to their dried products. They claim that this makes their "colostrum" more digestible, which was one of the functions of the fat in complete colostrum in the first place. Casein is a nutritionally valuable complete protein that is broken down in the stomach to small peptides and amino acids so that they can be absorbed and used to build new muscle protein by forming a cottage cheese-like curd in the stomach. This occurs enzymatically in the newborn and the adult and the basis for the curd that forms is the fat in the colostrum. So without it, in addition to losing some significant biologically active substances that are associated with the fat, one loses most of the nutritional value of the casein. That is part of the reason why the fat content of colostrum increases with time after birth as the amount of casein increases in the secreted fluid. Mother nature doesn't waste much and has organized the components of colostrum and their changing pattern in an efficient way to maximize the benefits to the offspring that is going to receive it.
High quality first milking bovine colostrum will contain 20-30% milk fat.2 The milk fat in colostrum is also a very important means to deliver some of its beneficial biologically active substances.1,3 Dissolved in or associated with the fat in colostrum are vitamins A, D, E and K; steroid hormones; corticosteroids; some growth factors; and insulin.
Lactose (milk sugar).
Bovine colostrum contains 10-15% lactose. When lactose is broken down in the saliva and the stomach of the calf, it creates an immediate metabolic energy source for the calf. The mother's milk increases in its lactose content as the calf develops. 6 hours after the birth of the calf the lactose content is half of the lactose content 12 hours after birth and a third of the lactose content 24 hours after birth.
The metabolic energy that comes from lactose being broken down from the lactase enzyme in the saliva and stomach can also benefit humans. For those people who are lactose intolerant, their bodies struggle to digest lactose because their bodies have little or don't have the lactase enzyme. Most of these people can use bovine colostrum as a dietary supplement without having to worry about it causing them discomfort due to their lactose intolerance.
More Compositional Considerations
The benefits of ?first milking? colostrum verses milk can be found as follows:
Vitamin A is found to be 10 times greater in colostrum than milk.
Colostrum has 3 times the amount of vitamin D than milk
Colostrum has 10 times the amount of iron than milk
Phosphorous, magnesium and calcium are found to be greater in colostrum than milk.
Biologically Active Components
Metabolic Factors, Growth Factors and Immune Factors are the major categories bovine colostrum can be divided into. When looking into bovine colostrum, be aware of companies' interpretations of what these components do rather than what the original studies show.
About the Author:
Dr. Anthony Kleinsmith is considered one of the world's leading experts on colostrum products. He is in high demand for media appearances; he travels worldwide in his continuing efforts to enhance the level of health for people everywhere. His first book sold over 500,000 copies worldwide. Learn more about the benefits of colostrum at www.ImmuneTree.com
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