The newborn for which the colostrum is intended is a blank tablet, immunologically speaking. It needs protection from the environment it has just entered, and it needs it immediately if it is to survive. Therefore colostrum, whether it is from a cow or a human, is loaded with everything the newborn needs to survive in the hostile world. Cows, unlike humans, are unable to receive immunoglobulins across the placenta to “prime” the immune system before birth, so they need a massive dose of immunoglobulins immediate after birth. Bovine colostrum thus contains much more Immunoglobulin G (IgG) than human colostrum, which contains predominantly Immunoglobulin A (IgA). IgG provides passive systemic immunity whereas IgA provides more localized immunity. Bovine colostrum is able to impart passive immunity not only to calves but to humans as well against a broad spectrum of pathogens as well as nonspecific immune support against all pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoan parasites. Colostrum also has the unique ability to modulate the immune system through the activity of PRP, a protein found only in colostrum, which can heat up or cool down the immune system depending upon what is needed by the host.
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Colostrum provides passive immunity against bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoan parasites
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Lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase and lysozyme are non-specific bactericidal, virucidal and fungicidal components of colostrum
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Lactoferrin and lysozyme have been shown to act in concert with lactoferrin first binding to and removing the lipopolysaccharide protective coating of gram-negative bacteria (such as Vibrio cholerae (cholera), Salmonella typhimurium (food poisoning) and Eschericia coli), allowing lysozyme to enter the bacterial cell, causing lysis
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Lactoferrin is effective against HIV and Human Cytomegalovirus
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Colostrum alleviates Cryptosporidosis, a life-threatening diarrhea which occurs as a secondary infection in AIDS
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Colostrum contains complement factors and oligosaccharides which also provide non-specific antimicrobial protection
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Colostrum contains PRP, a unique immunomodulatory peptide which causes the differentiation of thymocytes into active T cells and stimulates the differentiation of B cells and can also act to tone down on overactive immune system, such as is found in autoimmune diseases
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PRP also stimulates the production of interferon-beta (IFN β) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) by peritoneal cells
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Oral administration of interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) from colostrum causes a marked increase in the proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, indicating that colostrum stimulates the immune system
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Cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor- alpha (TNF-α), interleukins (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6) and interferon (IFNγ) in colostrum, stimulate the developing immune system in infants as well as the depressed immune system of aged individuals
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Colostrum stimulates the formation of cytokines, interleukins 1, 3 and 6 (IL-1, IL-3, IL-6), by blood leukocytes
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Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and interleukin-10 (IL-10), both found in colostrum, modulate the activity of monocytes and macrophages in organizing immune responses to pathogens, either turning them on or off depending on what is needed
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Lactoferrin from colostrum increase both motility and superoxide production by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (white blood cells), apparently making them more effective in warding off infections
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Colostrum can modulate natural killer cell activity by stimulating or inhibiting production of interleukin-2 (IL-2)
