About Herbs

Bottom Line: Bovine colostrum has been shown in clinical trials to be effective in treating diarrhea and infections. There is no evidence that it can be used to treat cancer.

Bovine colostrum is the milk produced by cows for the first several days following birthing. It is rich in antibodies, growth factors, cytokines, and protects the newborn calf from infections. Bovine colostrum has been used as a dietary supplement since last decade. Studies in humans have shown that it has several beneficial effects. Individuals who are allergic to dairy products should avoid bovine colostrum.

Treatment of Diarrhea
This study involved 75 boys, aged 6-24 months, with diarrhea caused by rotavirus. The children received 100ml of hyperimmune bovine colostrum or bovine colostrum three times a day for three days. Diarrhea stopped in half the children who received hyperimmune bovine colostrum within 48 hours while there was no improvement in symptoms in children from the control group.

In another study, 24 AIDS patients with chronic diarrhea were given bovine immunoglobulin concentrate for 21 days. Patients who had diarrhea caused by Cryptosporidium parvum showed significant improvement after 21 days. The symptoms improved only in those given the powder form of the concentrate and not the capsule. There was no change in symptoms in patients who had secondary infection along with diarrhea.

Treatment of NSAID-associated gastrointestinal damage
Seven healthy volunteers were given 50 mg of indomethacin three times daily with 125 ml colostrum or whey protein for five days. After a two-week washout period, the patients who were given colostrum received whey protein and those on whey protein were given colostrum for five days. The gut permeability was measured before and after treatment. Patients who received whey protein had increased gut permeability while those on colostrum showed no change.
In a second study, 15 patients who were taking NSAIDs for at least one year were given colostral solution (125 ml daily) or placebo for 7 days. Following a two-week washout period, the treatments were switched. Colostrum or control solution did not have a significant effect on gut permeability. These studies are inconclusive because of the mixed results. Long-term studies with a bigger sample size are needed to evaluate the efficacy of bovine colostrum in preventing NSAID-associated gastrointestinal damage.

You are allergic to dairy products.

Hyperimmune Bovine Colostrum, Bovine Immunoglobulin, Cow milk Colostrum

Bovine colostrum is cow's milk secreted during the first few days following calving. It is rich in immunoglobulins, growth factors, cytokines, and confers immune protection to the newborn calf from opportunistic infections. Bovine colostrum has been used as a dietary supplement to treat diarrhea, infections, colitis, and to improve athletic performance. Results from clinical trials indicate that hyperimmune bovine colostrum, prepared by immunizing cows with the causative agent, is effective in treating diarrhea caused by rotavirus in children ⁽²⁾, and by Cryptosporidium parvum in AIDS patients ^{(3) (4)}. Preliminary data also suggest that oral administration of bovine colostrum may reduce postoperative endotoxemia during abdominal surgery ⁽⁵⁾ and postoperative C-reactive protein (CRP)-plasma levels in patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery ⁽⁶⁾. There is also evidence that bovine colostrum can prevent gastrointestinal damage caused by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) ⁽⁷⁾ and is effective in treating distal colitis ⁽⁸⁾. Patients who are allergic to dairy products should avoid taking bovine colostrum.

Cow's milk (from the first few days after calving).

Althought the high concentration of immunoglobulins may account for bovine colostrum's effects, the exact mechanism is not known. Studies suggest that bovine colostrum improves exercise performance ^{(9) (10)} by increasing serum insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and may enhance immune response in humans ⁽¹¹⁾. Others have shown that colostrum derived from cows immunized with C. parvum was effective in the treatment of diarrhea induced by C. parvum in AIDS patients ^{(3) (4)}. Similarly, colostrum from cows immunized with rotavirus alleviated symptoms of rotaviral diarrhea in children ⁽²⁾. Colostrum also reduced diarrhea associated with E.coli ⁽¹²⁾. Preliminary data from some studies indicate that oral administration of bovine colostrum may reduce postoperative endotoxemia during abdominal surgery ⁽⁵⁾ and postoperative CRP-plasma levels in patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery ⁽⁶⁾. There is also some evidence that bovine colostrum prevents NSAID-associated gastrointestinal damage ⁽⁷⁾ and is effective in treating distal colitis ⁽⁸⁾.

Food can interfere with the activity of bovine immunoglobulin capsules ⁽¹⁵⁾.

Allergy to dairy products.

Mitra AK, et al. Hyperimmune cow colostrum reduces diarrhea due to rotavirus: a double-blind, controlled clinical trial. Acta Paediatr 1995; 84(9):996-1001.
Seventy-five boys, aged 6-24 months, with rotavirus diarrhea were randomized to receive 100 ml of hyperimmune bovine colostrum (HBC) or bovine colostrum three times a day for three days. Researchers observed that diarrhea stopped in half the children in the treatment group within 48 hours whereas it persisted in those in the control group. Therefore it appears that colostrum from cows immunized with rotavirus antigen is effective in alleviating symptoms in children with rotaviral diarrhea.

Greenberg PD, et al. Treatment of severe diarrhea caused by Cryptosporidium parvum with oral bovine immunoglobulin concentrate in patients with AIDS. JAIDS 1996; 13(4):348-354.
Twenty-four patients with AIDS and severe chronic diarrhea participated in this study. Sixteen patients had diarrhea caused by Cryptosporidium parvum, while four patients had a second opportunistic infection along with C. parvum, and four others had an untreatable opportunistic infection or unidentified source of infection. All patients were given bovine immunoglobulin concentrate for 21 days. Patients in the first group were randomized to receive the concentrate in powder or capsule forms whereas all other patients were given the powder form. The daily stool weight, stool frequency, body weight, and clearance of C. parvum oocytes were determined. Patients with C. parvum infection who were treated with powder form of bovine immunoglobulin experienced significant improvement while those without C. parvum infection and those treated with capsule form of the medication showed no improvement. Powdered form of Bovine colostrum immunoglobulin seems to be effective in treatment of severe diarrhea caused by C. parvum.

Playford RJ, et al. Coadministration of the health food supplement, bovine colostrum, reduces the acute non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced increase in intestinal permeability. Clin Sci 2001;100:627-33.
This randomized crossover trial involving seven healthy volunteers was performed to compare changes in gut permeability before and after five days of treatment with 50 mg indomethacin three times daily with 125 ml colostrum or whey protein. After a two-week washout period, the treatments were switched for another five days. Patients were not allowed to consume alcohol or another NSAID during the trial period. There was a three-fold increase in gut permeability in the control arm but no significant increase in the treatment group. In a second randomized, double-blind, crossover study, fifteen patients taking a regular dose of NSAID for at least one year (without use of acid suppressants) were given colostral solution (125 ml daily) or placebo for 7 days. Following a two-week washout period, the treatments were switched. Colostrum or control solution did not have a significant effect on gut permeability. However, long-term studies with more subjects should be conducted to evaluate the effects of colostrum.