Vol. 45- Unveiling the Power of Bovine Colostrum: Is It Worth the Hype?

Quick Look 👀

1 oz of water to garden your health

1 Trick/Tip that can save your life

2 Weeds to avoid

2 Websites to cultivate your garden

Random Musings

Reading Time: 5 minutes and 33 seconds

This week’s newsletter is brought to you by Colostrum.

I've seen an explosion of people recommending it and taking it. So is it worth the $ and hype? What is it made from and what are its benefits?

Action to water your health

Colostrum

• Sources: Bovine and, less frequently, goat sources.

• Benefits: Promotes growth and fights disease in newborns, improves intestinal integrity, reduces inflammation, and can reduce diarrhea caused by E. coli and the risk of HIV infection.

• Downsides: For adults, especially athletes, the intended benefits like increased fat burning, lean mass, or strength do not typically occur due to the mature digestive system breaking down the beneficial compounds before absorption.

• Who takes it: Newborn mammals for natural growth and disease resistance, adults as a nutritional supplement, and athletes for intended performance benefits.

• Dosage: As a protein supplement or intestinal health agent: Between 20-60g of colostrum, which contains 2-4g (10-20%) of immunoglobulins. The supplement is usually in powder form.

• To reduce the risk of E. coli-induced diarrhea: Doses should contain between 400-3,500mg of immunoglobulins and be taken shortly after a meal. The colostrum must come from an animal, like a cow, that has been immunized against E. coli.

I’m already taking some variety of protein powder. Would taking bovine colostrum help?

Colostrum Bovinum is rich in growth factors, immunoglobulins, and specific protein compounds such as lactoferrin, growth factors, and antibodies, which can boost immunity, fight infections, and improve gut health along with exercise performance in athletes [1].

The benefits of colostrum supplementation appear to be most prominent during high-intensity training.

Taking both colostrum and protein powder may provide a combination of immune-boosting properties from colostrum and the muscle-building benefits of protein powder.

This article on endurance running found that bovine colostrum supplementation doesn't affect initial running performance or IGF-I levels in active males. However, it may enhance performance during subsequent bouts of exercise after 8 weeks, likely due to improved recovery.

Is this stuff safe?

The possible side effects of colostrum, particularly bovine colostrum, may include:

1. Nausea

2. Diarrhea

3. Flatulence

4. Increased flatulence

5. Abnormal liver function tests

6. Allergic reactions in individuals allergic to cow's milk

The use of colostrum in Ayurvedic medicine dates back thousands of years. Ayurvedic physicians and Rishis in India have been using colostrum for medicinal purposes since cows became domesticated.

Does Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) (components of bovine colostrum) have any relationship with cancer?

The short answer is unlikely. The long answer is we don’t have enough data to say NO.

IGF-1 is a growth factor present in colostrum that plays a crucial role in growth and development. There have been concerns about the potential for IGF-1 to stimulate the growth of cancer cells, particularly in hormone-sensitive cancers such as breast and prostate cancer.

This study on oral bovine colostrum supplementation published in 2019 found that oral bovine colostrum supplementation does not increase plasma IGF-1 levels.

Despite IGF-1 being a major bioactive protein in colostrum and present at high levels, it appears that it's not absorbed from the adult intestinal tract and is instead digested into what are thought to be inactive peptides.

You can see the absorption data in this article “IGF-I, IgA, and IgG responses to bovine colostrum supplementation during training.”

Let’s take a look at a popular brand ARMRA.

Product: Immune Revival (Bulk Jar: Unflavored)

Ingredients: Proprietary ARMRA Bovine Colostrum 

QC & Testing: Appears to have 3rd party testing, extensive quality control, and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).

Evidence: 3rd party study showed that ARMRA may help protect cellular energy production in both immune cells and gut cells during inflammation, at least in the lab.

Now what?

Bovine Colostrum seems like a panacea.

ARMRA is priced at $109.99 for 120 servings. That's $1 per serving.

I’m sure you can find it cheaper but without the quality control, or patent technology.

With that said, I will NOT be taking bovine colostrum. Aside from supplements not being FDA-approved, the lack of evidence in human research is poor. But if you’re hoping to try something new to help your gut, skin, or overall recovery and like to experiment…by all means, please write me and lmk how it goes.

Trick/Tip that can save your life

Toxoplasmosis (protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii)

People at risk: immunocompromised and pregnant individuals.

How can I get it?

• consuming undercooked, contaminated meat (mainly pork, lamb, and game meat) or seafood (shellfish like oysters, clams, and mussels).

• Exposure to feline waste material, e.g., changing kitty litter boxes, working with contaminated soil, or consuming produce grown near outdoor cat habitats increases the likelihood of becoming infected

• Exposure to feline waste material, e.g., changing kitty litter boxes, working with contaminated soil, or consuming produce grown near outdoor cat habitats increases the likelihood of becoming infected.

Symptoms:

• Flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headaches, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes

• Fatigue

• Sore throat

More severe instances of toxoplasmosis tend to arise in three main scenarios:

1. Ocular toxoplasmosis, affecting the eyes, presents with symptoms like:

   • Reduced vision

   • Painful sensations, worsening with bright lights

   • Redness of the eye(s)

   • Sometimes accompanied by tears

So if you have some weird symptoms and have been doing something to get toxo or know someone gets tested.

Weeds to avoid

1. If a book does not interest you, move on. For the longest time, I’ve had this ridiculous idea that I must read the book in its entirety regardless of its content. Maybe it gets better? to give it a shot, idk. Next book!

2. Relying on motivation, inspiration, or some extrinsic thing to help. Some days we just carry on and move ahead. One step at a time.

Websites to Cultivate Your Garden

Rio: AI fact-checked news. I haven’t used it but it’s the ability to credibility sources (whatever that is nowadays), relevant personal information, and an easy reading interface. ‘ll give it a shot.

Brilliant Labs: AI glasses, but think not obnoxious. These use OpenAI, whisper, and open-source. My favorite part as a glasses wearer is they have rx lens! You can pre-order now.

Random Musings

1. I’ve been on this hop water fix lately. Refreshing and a little hoppy without the booze content.

2. Highly recommend reading this book by Annaka Harris on “CONSCIOUS: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind." It’s short and a good primer.

3. What was the last healthy thing you ate at a restaurant? ok… let’s try to recreate this at home!

You're an awesome human

Martin, CEO of Burnt Toast

Stuff I use

Hiyo: Non-alcoholic drink that tastes refreshing, good, and worth the hype. Use this link to get $10 off.

Toms Perfect 10: Granola, I’ve tried and made dozens of different types. If you want crazy, flavorful granola try this.

EarthFedMuscle: It’s no exaggeration to say I’ve tried hundreds of protein powders. This is one of the most flavorful proteins with clean ingredients.

Tana: My go to notetaking app. I can explain why but try it yourself.

Virus: Quality-made workout clothes for any occasion.

2pood: Their weightlifting belt is one of my favorites. With tons of designs, sturdy and I feel like it’s not going to fall apart.

Magic Mind: I typically take this shot after my morning coffee. Has matcha, lion’s mane mushrooms, bacopa monnieri, turmeric curcumin, and other nootropics. Read more about nootropics and adaptogens in Vol–36

Stuff I created, that you might find helpful.