Colostrum is the ‘first milk’ of the mammals which is released from the mammary glands of these mammals during the first few days after parturition. It is also called beestings, fore milk etc. It is thick, sticky and yellowish, loaded with numerous antibodies, minerals, vitamins, and growth factors. A baby who has just come out of the mother’s protected womb to an environment that is filled with microbes, viruses and many foreign factors needs more care and precaution. Colostrum helps them build strong immune and digestion systems and to adapt this new environment. Colostrum is not only beneficial for infants but it also benefits people of different ages. So, what are things it is beneficial in? But there are some more questions like which colostrum should we use and where are we going to find it. In this blog, we will try to address all your queries.

Major species in which colostrum is found are humans, cows, ewes (sheep) and goats. Different species have different characteristics hence; their colostrum compositions also differ. Cow colostrum is used as a supplement because of the nutrients present in it and also because of its availability.

Human colostrum v/s cow colostrum

Cow colostrum is more potent than human colostrum both in quantity and quality. In Cows, the maternal and fetal blood supplies are separated by the placenta during the gestational period of the pregnancy. This separation prevents the transmission of immunoglobulins and other growth factors to the fetus. In humans the case is the opposite, all the nutrients remain intact in the placenta and keep on providing nutrients to the offspring. This results in a lower quantity of human colostrum in comparison to bovine colostrum. And lower quantity itself denotes lower quality as the number of nutrients and antibodies is lesser in human colostrum than in bovine colostrum. We can see the detailed description of the same in the table given below:

Human colostrum

(%)

Cow colostrum

(%)

Total proteins

1.2

3.3

casein

0.5

2.68

lactose -carbohydrates

7.0

4.8

total lipids

3.8

3.8

Now we know that cow colostrum is better than human colostrum so, let’s broaden our knowledge of cow colostrum.

What are the main characteristics of cow colostrum?

Immunoglobulins: These are antibodies with distinctive qualities to recognize and bind antigens and help us fight against bacterial and viral infections. It is the only antibody that has receptors that can enable access to the human placenta, safeguarding the fetus and these antibodies also provide immunity to the infants before they develop their immune system. It has different types IgG, IgF, and IgA.

Lactoferrin: It is a glycoprotein found in human colostrum and cow colostrum, which provides a favourable amount of lactoferrin.  It acts as an antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties which protects us from infections and allergies. But its most important role is to balance iron metabolism.

Nutritional factors: Colostrum contains nutrients like protein, peptides, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins and minerals. These are the basic nutrients that are needed for the functioning of the body which helps in the growth and survival of the infant. These nutrients are the source of energy to balance the metabolism and its functioning.

Growth factors: Growth factors are growth-stimulating hormones that regulate cell division and cell differentiation, thereby responsible for the growth and formation of all the tissues of various types. Some of the hormones are insulin-like growth factors, protein-based hormones, epidermal growth factors and transforming growth factors etc.

What are the benefits of cow colostrum?

·       Boosts immunity

·       Improve gut health

·       Help fight allergies and infections

·       Balance cholesterol levels

·       Improve metabolism

·       Wound healing properties

·       Antifungal and anti-inflammatory

·       Help in the treatment of diarrhoea

·       Improves athletic performance

·       Useful in the treatment of urinary tract infections 

·       Also helps in infertility

Cow colostrum as a supplement

So, now you must be stuck on this question “How and where can we get the best quality cow colostrum?” So the answer is ImmuneSmart. Immunesmart is one of the best products by Keepharma because it is extracted from the dry-freeze method. Most of the brands extract their colostrum from pasteurization and as we all know protein is heat resistant hence it nullifies the whole efficiency of the colostrum while the dry freeze method keeps the nutrients intact. The other reason why immune is better than others is that Keepharma’s colostrum is extracted from Hyperimmuned Indian cows. Indian cows sweat so, all the toxins in their body are released which makes it toxins-free. It Stands out from other colostrum because of its highest known IgG content i.e., 31.5%. This product is easily available on e-commerce portals like Amazon and Flipkart, so without any further delay go grab one and don’t forget to suggest your friends and family.