At birth the digestive, nervous, and immune systems of vertebrates, including humans, function only partially. It’s been well established that the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids arachidonic (ARA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) in breast milk are needed in significant amounts for the infant brain and nervous system to develop. However, nature provides an even more important substance in the first hours after birth that is needed to “prime” the newborn’s digestive and immune systems.

First Defense

The intestine is the primary immune organ in the body. It contains nearly 70 percent of the immune cells. Sterile at birth, the newborn mammal gut acquires its first defense from mother’s “pre-milk,” or colostrum. In cows, for example, the activating factors in bovine colostrum are found only in the highest quality during the first six hours after birth. Newborn babies of all species instinctively search for colostrum, a rich and vital source of nutrition, as soon as they are born. A baby offered its mother’s breast right after birth gets a huge jump-start toward developing strong immunity. Bovine colostrum, an important immune shield, also offers children and adults benefits not available from any other source.

The ideal bovine colostrum is rich in a special group of proteins known as proline-rich peptides. These peptides activate the bioconversion of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) into the adrenal neurosteroid cortisol. Frequent illness, allergies, and the stresses of modern living can severely tax the adrenal glands, and bovine colostrum boosts body defenses and stress response through improved bioconversion of DHEA.

Another bioactive component of colostrum is choline. Choline compounds are the functional foundation of all cells including those of the brain and nerves. Choline, a natural constituent of both colostrum and egg yolks, is considered one of the most promising functional foods. Choline in colostrum also improves messaging between other body cells, including those in the liver. Keeping the liver in optimum condition is a cornerstone of good health because this hard-working organ processes all that you eat, drink, and breathe. The liver’s unique system of antioxidant enzymes and immune factors forms an important line of defense.

Functional foods are those with ingredients that have health-promoting benefits beyond basic nutrition. Bovine colostrum is particularly useful as a functional food because supplements are readily available and contain many immune-supporting factors.

A study of Egyptian students who took 400 mg of bovine colostrum for two weeks compared several immune measures before and after the supplementation period. Even with such a short period of supplementation, circulating immune proteins and T-cells were significantly raised in all students.

Bovine colostrum has a pleasant taste and can easily be added to foods; its active components are readily absorbed in the mouth. Lozenges are, in fact, an excellent delivery form of bovine colostrum for children and those who wish to protect themselves from germs in the workplace or during travel.

In shopping for a good colostrum product, look for one that has been collected within the first six hours after birth. Also be sure the bovine colostrum has been gathered under the strictest sanitary guidelines for dairies and never from cows that have been given hormones or antibiotics.

Second Defense

The digestive system is home to another important form of immune protection—beneficial bacteria, aka friendly flora or probiotics. Some of these initially come from the mother, but most are introduced through foods, including fermented or cultured products. An adult harbors approximately 500 different bacterial species in the intestines. Bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, and certain other species ferment undigested food and produce important metabolites, including vitamins and short-chain fatty acids. Probiotics also keep pathogenic bacteria from producing toxins and noxious byproducts. Look for a probiotic that contains several strains of friendly flora—bifidobacteria, Enterococcus faecium, lactobacillus, and Streptococcus thermophilus.

Added Protection

Prebiotics can be of benefit, too. They help the body maintain a healthy colony of beneficial bacteria. The notion of prebiotics comes from the observation that bifidobacteria selectively ferment certain carbohydrates (inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides), which can increase the protective benefits of probiotics. Prebiotics also provide bulk to stools and are an excellent way to improve bowel function.

A combination of pre- and probiotics, a synbiotic aims at stimulating the growth and activity of friendly flora in the intestines. It also protects probiotics like bifidobacteria from destruction in the stomach and increases the survival of lactobacillus in the human gut. Synbiotics modulate the composition of gut microflora that has been adversely affected by dietary and environmental stresses.

A well-designed synbiotic may also contain vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that are important for probiotic survival. Look for products that are stable at room temperature and enteric coated; dairy-free synbiotic products are also available.

Some synbiotic formulas also contain herbs to help soothe irritated intestinal and colonic membranes and reduce inflammation.