November 11, 2008
How Does Colostrum Strengthen your Immune System?
In humans, the development of the immune system begins before birth with the transfer of antibodies and other immune factors via the mother's placenta. Immediately after birth, the mother continues to develop and strengthen immune system function of her newborn through the production of colostrum, a special type of breast milk produced during the first few days of life.
Packed within this sticky, pre-milk substance are the antibodies, immune factors, and immunoglobulins necessary to further aid in immune system development and actively strengthen immune system response. In the absence of disease or prolonged illness, the condition of our immune systems from here will be largely determined by our environment, activity level, and diet.
As we get older, or as greater environmental or physical demands are placed on our bodies, adequate nutrition becomes more important in ensuring that our immune systems are not compromised. For an ever-increasing number of us, though, proper nutrition doesn't jive with the foods we eat, and dietary supplementation is often used to pick up the slack where our diets fail.
It is not surprising, then, that research into colostrum was initially aimed at determining its value as a dietary or nutritional supplement. From this research, we now know that the same immune factors in colostrum that are so beneficial in developing the immune systems of infants also have beneficial effects on the immune systems of older children and adults. For people of all ages, colostrum is a safe, natural, and effective way to maintain immune system health and strengthen immune system function.
But where can we get colostrum? As humans, it may seem strange at first that colostrum produced by cows would provide the same benefits for humans than it does for baby cows. But it's true. Cows are more than â??outstanding in their field,' they are the producers of the only form of colostrum that is not specific to their own species.
This means that bovine colostrum contains all the immune and growth factors that found in the colostrum of all other lactating mammals, and that these factors can provide passive immunity to virtually all mammals who consume itâ??including humans. In using bovine colostrum as a supplement, humans get immunoglobulins and growth factors to help strengthen immune system performance, and several other immune factors that help strengthen immune system response.
Our immune system has two main lines of defense, and bovine colostrum supplementation is beneficial in the maintenance and strengthening of both of them. The first line of defense is called the innate immune system, and the second is called the adaptive immune system. The innate immune system is a non-targeted response that is effective for protecting the body against most invaders.
The skin and intestinal lining are part of the innate immune system because they act as barrier to most infective agentsâ??the skin keeps them from getting into the body, and the intestinal lining keeps them from getting out of the gut. The adaptive immune system produces a targeted response to an invader by forming antibodies specifically for its neutralization.
The immunoglobulins in bovine colostrum strengthen immune system performance by coating the inner walls of the intestines, preventing the passage of pathogens and toxins through them. These same immunoglobulins also serve as ready-made antibodies in the adaptive immune system that can help strengthen immune system response.
The growth factors in bovine colostrum work in the innate immune system to repair broken skin and connective tissues, while the various immune factors work on both sides, aiding in the function of immunoglobulins and growth factors, and orchestrating the activity of other immune system components.
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