Colostrum & Athletic Performance
Colostrum & Athletic Performance
By John I. Buhmeyer, MS
Colostrum is “a hot supplement in the athletics world,” according to Dr. Louise Burke, the Head of Nutrition at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. In fact, many world-class athletes are known to take it regularly. The reason it is receiving so much attention lately is due to the rapidly growing body of clinical evidence that demonstrates how it can support athletic performance.
What can athletes expect from colostrum? The IGF-1 in colostrum increases uptake of blood glucose and facilitates the transport of glucose to the muscles, which keeps energy levels up. Together with growth hormones, IGF-1 also slows the rate of protein breakdown (catabolism) that occurs after a vigorous workout. It speeds up protein synthesis, which results in lean muscle mass without an increase in the amount of stored fat. Colostrum improves the assimilation of nutrients, which leads to improved energy levels and performance. Also, the immune factors in colostrum help athletes to minimize their susceptibility to infections while being able to keep up with their training schedules. The Australian Olympic team proved the effectiveness of colostrum supplementation when they won 16 gold and 58 overall medals at the 2000 Olympics – a disproportionately high number of medals for such a small country (the United States won 97 medals at the 2000 Olympics, the highest total of any country). The Australians claimed the difference was their widespread use of colostrum supplementation during training.
Colostrum could be the most important natural substance to help athletes (from weekend warriors to professional athletes) achieve their desired results. Research shows that colostrum can help:
• Increase strength and endurance
• Build lean muscle mass
• Burn body fat
• Boost immune function, which typically dips after strenuous exercise
• Shorten recovery time
• Accelerate healing of injuries
Performance: strength and endurance
Recent research shows that bovine colostrum supplementation can improve performance in activities requiring both strength and endurance. A study by Buckley and his research team at the University of South Australia (1999) examined a group of eight elite female rowers. In this study, the women consumed either bovine colostrum (60g/day) or a whey protein powder (placebo). The colostrum-supplemented group performed significantly greater in terms of distance covered and work performed during a 4-minute maximal rowing effort. Another study by Buckley (2003) compared the effect of bovine colostrum supplementation to whey protein powder on 51 male athletes, and found that colostrum supplementation during training significantly increased peak anaerobic power.3
A study from the University of Tasmania, Australia (2002) has reported that eight weeks of colostrum supplementation resulted in an improvement in cycling performance. These findings were presented at the Pre-Olympic Sports Medicine Conference in Brisbane (Coombs et al., 2000). Compared to their initial performance eight weeks earlier, the group taking 20 grams of colostrum per day completed the time trial 158 seconds faster whereas the group taking whey protein improved their performance time by only 37 seconds.7
Researchers at Numico Research in the Netherlands (2002) confirm that colostrum supplementation improves sport performance better than whey protein. A double-blind, placebo controlled study using 35 elite field hockey players, including players from the Dutch national team, showed that highly trained athletes supplemented with colostrum can achieve enhanced performance. The hockey players taking colostrum improved sprint performance significantly better than the whey group.9
A study in Finland showed an increase in physical performance during maximal exercise with colostrum supplementation. Colostrum supplementation promoted greater oxygen uptake and flight times during squat jump exercises. Therefore such supplementation can improve running and jumping performance.30
Similar results were found in a study which measured vertical jump performance. After 8 weeks of training with 60 grams of colostrum supplementation per day, vertical jump performance increased more than twice as much as those in the control group while serum IGF-1 levels remained the same for both groups.31
Build muscle & Burn fat
Colostrum contains the growth factors that help build lean muscle, including insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I & IGF-II) and growth hormone (GH). IGF-I, which is found naturally in colostrum, is the only natural hormone capable of promoting muscle growth by itself. The IGFs in humans and cows are identical, but bovine colostrum actually contains a greater concentration of IGF-I than human colostrum. This fact makes bovine colostrum attractive to bodybuilders, athletes and others seeking to gain muscle mass. According to a study conducted in Finland, IGF-1 induces protein synthesis, which leads to an increase in lean muscle mass without a corresponding rise in adipose (fat) tissue. Some are calling colostrum the “new creatine.”28
A study by Dr. Jose Antonio (PhD) of the Sports Science Lab at the University of Delaware in 2001 which compared colostrum supplementation to milk whey supplementation found that the colostrum produced a significant increase in bone-free lean body mass (muscle) while the milk whey did not.12 This study shows these significant results with just 20 grams of colostrum per day (instead of the typical study dose of 60 grams per day).
These results were repeated in a recent study by C.M. Shing and colleagues at the University of Queensland (2007). They found that after a period of intense training, road cyclists who received 10 grams of bovine colostrum protein concentrate improved their performance in 40 km time trials 1.9% (±2.1%) over baseline, improved time trial intensity (% VO(2 max)) by 2.3% (±6.0%), and maintained heart rate (2.5%, ±3.7%) compared to those receiving placebo. In addition, CPC supplementation prevented a decrease in ventilatory threshold following the period of intense training (4.6% ±4.6%), meaning the athletes were able to maintain their ventilatory threshold over the entire period of intense training.25
Another study found that combining creatine with colostrum produced a greater increase in both body mass and fat-free body mass than supplementation with either colostrum or casein/whey protein alone in weight lifters.27
Researchers in Finland found that exercisers who received 20 grams per day of colostrum had increased serum concentration of essential amino acids compared to those receiving placebo or who were not exercising. This led to increased muscle protein synthesis and breakdown, resulting in faster recovery time following maximal exercise.29
When it comes to fat metabolism, the growth factors in colostrum “shift fuel utilization from carbohydrate to fat. This doesn’t mean you can eat more fat. But it does mean that your body will burn more fat, including fat made from the carbohydrate and protein you eat, producing fuel more efficiently”, states Steve Schwade, Associate Editor of Muscle & Fitness magazine.19
Immune Function
Athletes are faced with a paradox: part of the reason they work out is to be healthy, yet they tend to be more susceptible to infections. After a rigorous workout, the immune system temporarily reduces its production of T-cells and natural killer cells. With frequent workout schedules, some athletes continuously put themselves into an immune-suppressed state, increasing their chances of becoming ill. Colostrum is the only natural healing substance capable of transmitting immunity; it can help reduce an athlete’s chances of falling victim to opportunistic pathogens during his or her ‘down’ time.
Athletes have increased susceptibility to infectious disease.
Strenuous exercise associated with athletic training and competition places a tremendous strain on body systems, including the immune system. Scientists at Loma Linda University in California have done a number of studies in which the effects of extreme exercise on the immune system were examined. One study of experienced marathon runners, conducted by Dr. David Nieman (DrPH) in 1989, found significant changes in white blood cell counts after a 3 hour run, most of which returned to normal levels after 21 hours.23 Another study done by Dr. Lee Berk (DrPH) in 1990 found that marathon runners show a marked decrease in the activity of natural killer (NK) cells in the hours after a race.22 Natural killer cells are an integral part of the body’s immune defenses, seeking out and killing foreign or infected cells in a nonspecific manner. This decrease in NK activity indicates an increased susceptibility to infection following strenuous exercise. These results were confirmed in another study by Dr. Sparling and his colleagues at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta in 1993 which showed that marathon runners do indeed have an increased susceptibility to infectious disease when they are training or racing.18
Colostrum helps boost immunity.
An athlete’s susceptibility to infectious disease can be reduced through proper nutrition (including colostrum supplementation), adequate sleep, sufficient recovery between workouts and avoidance of exposure to sick people during periods of heavy training and competition. Dr. Edmund Burke (PhD) from the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs explains in an article published in Nutrition Science News in May 1996 that “colostrum and its components help decrease recovery time and boost immune functioning in athletes. Colostrum contains growth hormones, specifically insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), as well as epidermal growth factor (EGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β). These growth factors help muscle recovery and development in athletes.” He goes on to say that “colostrum also can help with ‘leaky gut syndrome’, a condition found to some extent in nearly all individuals in which the gut is permeable, to some degree, to pathogens and other macromolecules.”17 This is important for athletes in that “sealing” the gut with colostrum supplementation would increase energy levels and smooth out performance, especially for those athletes who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome as a result of incomplete digestion due to protein supplementation.
A preliminary study involving scholarship rowers in Australia not only showed that the colostrum group had a greater improvement in work done than the whey group (placebo), but also showed that athletes who consumed colostrum experienced less viral and bacterial illness than those supplemented with whey protein.
Bovine colostrum may prevent upper respiratory tract infections (URI), a common problem with athletes after strenuous exercise. Salivary secretory Immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) protects against URI, and it was recently shown that bovine colostrum increases s-IgA. A preliminary study (2003) conducted by Australian researchers Brinkworth and Buckley in 2003 showed that bovine colostrum enhances resistance to the development of symptoms of URI.2 Further study by Crooks and colleagues showed that supplementation with bovine colostrum in runners increased s-IgA by 79%.26
A recent study (2006) by Dr. C.M. Shing and colleagues at the University of Queensland found that supplementation with low doses (10 grams/day) of bovine colostrum protein concentrate (CPC) over a period of normal and intense training by highly trained road cyclists significantly increases important immune variables, such as tumor necrosis factor receptor 1, as well as suppressing the decrease in cytotoxic/suppressor T cells commonly seen after heavy exercise, compared to those receiving placebo. Those receiving CPC also experienced fewer symptoms of URI.24
Rapid Recovery
Studies by Drs. Jon Buckley (PhD) at the University of South Australia, Jeff Coombes (PhD) of the University of Queensland, Australia, and Z. Hofman (PhD) of Numico Research in the Netherlands have tracked the effect of colostrum on athletic performance.6,7,9 These studies showed that colostrum supplementation results in much shorter recovery times following maximal exercise, as well as significantly increased anaerobic power. Paradoxically these studies found no significant increases in plasma IGF-1.
Researchers at the Centre for Research in Education and Sports Science in Adelaide, Australia demonstrate that colostrum can improve recovery.6 After eight weeks of colostrum supplementation, performance during a second bout of exercise may be improved by as much as 5.2%, possibly due to an enhancement of recovery.
Accelerated Healing of Injuries
The healing of an athletic injury, whether it involves bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments or other tissue, is influenced by numerous growth factors and cytokines which are naturally present in colostrum. Growth factors represent one of the most important of the molecular families involved in healing.
Colostrum is the only natural source of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which can improve muscle regeneration in injured muscle5 and promote tendon healing.4 Skeletal muscle is able to repair itself through regeneration, however, an injured muscle often does not fully recover its strength because the process is hindered. IGF-1 can improve muscle healing and regeneration. IGF-1 has been shown to be highly expressed during the early inflammatory phase, and appears to aid in the proliferation and migration of fibroblasts and to subsequently increase collagen production.4
Another growth factor of colostrum, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) helps to stimulate the production of other growth factors, including IGF-1. Other growth factors in colostrum that help in the healing of injuries include growth hormone (GH) shown to accelerate bone regeneration11, transforming growth factors – a and b (TGFa and TGFb) shown to regulate cellular migration and proliferation4, and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) shown to be a powerful stimulator of angiogenesis and a regulator of cellular migration and proliferation.4 Cytokines also show great potentials in future clinical application, as they have been shown to accelerate tendon repair.13
IOC approves colostrum use for athletes
Among many performance-enhancing compounds that colostrum contains is a substance called insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which, combined with regular exercise, is believed to help stimulate muscle growth and repair. Dr. Edmond Burke explains that while IGF-1 is banned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) when taken in synthetic form, IGF-1 that occurs naturally in colostrum is not a proscribed substance.
When athletes were given bovine colostrum supplementation during training, it was reported by Dr. Antti Mero (PhD) et al of the University of Jyväskylä in Finland that serum IGF-1 levels increased even though the IGF-1 ingested with the colostrum was not absorbed but rather digested in the gut.8 A study in the Netherlands supports that daily supplementation (60 g/day) of bovine colostrum for 4 weeks does not change blood IGF-I or IGF binding protein-3 levels, and thus does not elicit positive results on drug tests.10 This issue was recently the focus of controversy when the International Olympic committee became concerned with colostrum use by athletes to boost performance. However, since none of the ingested IGF-1 is actually absorbed by the body, the Committee did not ban colostrum supplementation.
Conclusion
These representative studies indicate that colostrum can provide support for any athlete in maintaining his or her health during strenuous exercise as well as improving performance, body conditioning, injury repair, and recovery in response to the stress that heavy exercise places on the body.
Disclaimer: The information presented herein is intended to provide education about topics of general interest in the nutritional and nutraceutical areas. It is not intended as medical advice. CNR, Inc. encourages all readers to discuss questions about information contained in this article with their health care practitioners.
References:
1. Brinkworth GD, et al. (2004) Effect of bovine colostrum supplementation on the composition of resistance trained and untrained limbs in healthy young men. European Journal or Applied Physiology 91(1);53-60.
ABSTRACT: The tissue composition of resistance-trained limbs experienced a significantly greater increase in circumference and cross-sectional area in subjects taking colostrum (60 g/day for 8 weeks) than those taking whey protein.
2. Brinkworth GD & Buckley JD. (2004) Concentrated bovine colostrum supplementation reduces the incidence of self-reported symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection in adult males. European Journal of Nutrition 42(4):228-32.
ABSTRACT: This study provides preliminary evidence that concentrated bovine colostrum protein may enhance resistance to the development of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections (URI).
3. Buckley JD, et al. (2003) Effect of bovine colostrum on anaerobic exercise performance and plasma insulin-like growth factor I. Journal of Sports Science 21(7):57-88.
ABSTRACT: Bovine colostrum supplementation during training significantly increased peak anaerobic power, but had no significant effect on alactic anaerobic work capacity, 1RM or plasma IGF-1.
4. Molloy T, et al. (2003) The roles of growth factors in tendon and ligament healing. Sports Med 33(5):381-94.
ABSTRACT: Growth factors represent one of the most important of the molecular families involved in healing, and this review elucidates their many functions. This review covers IGF-1, TGF-b, VEGF, PDGF and FGF.
5. Sato K, et al. (2003) Improvement of muscle healing through enhancement of muscle regeneration and prevention of fibrosis. Muscle Nerve 28(3):365-72.
ABSTRACT: Skeletal muscle is able to repair itself through regeneration. However, an injured muscle often does not fully recover its strength because the process is hindered. IGF-1 can improve muscle healing and regeneration.
6. Buckley JD, et al. (2002) Bovine colostrum supplementation during endurance running training improves recovery, but not performance. Journal of Science, Medicine and Sport 5(2):65-79.
ABSTRACT: Supplementation with colostrum did not increase plasma IGF-1 levels or improve performance during an initial bout of running. However, performance during a second bout of exercise may be improved by as much as 5.2% in the average subject after 8 weeks of colostrum supplementation, possibly due to an enhancement of recovery.
7. Coombs JS, et al. (2002) Dose effects of oral bovine colostrum on physical work capacity in cyclists. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 34(7):1184-8.
ABSTRACT: Oral bovine colostrum supplementation at 20 grams or 60 grams per day provided an improvement in time trial performance in cyclists after a 2 hour ride at 65% VO2 max. Improvements in performance times were: 37 seconds faster for placebo group, 158 seconds faster for 60 g/d colostrum group and 134 seconds faster for 60 g/d colostrum group.
8. Mero A, et al. (2002) IGF-I, IgA, and IgG responses to bovine colostrum supplementation during training. Journal of Applied Physiology 93(2):732-9.
ABSTRACT: Significant increases were noticed in serum IGF-1 and saliva IgA after bovine colostrum supplementation (20 g daily) during a 2 week training period.
9. Hofman Z, et al. (2002) The effect of bovine colostrum supplementation on exercise performance in elite field hockey players. International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism 12(4):461-469.
ABSTRACT: A double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled study on the effects of colostrum supplementation compared to milk whey on body composition and exercise performance of 17 female and 18 male elite field hockey players. Results showed a significant increase in sprint test performance while vertical jump performance, body composition and endurance tests were similar in both experimental and test groups.
10. Kuipers H, et al. (2002) Effects of oral bovine colostrum supplementation on serum insulin-like growth factor-I levels. Nutrition 18(7-8):566-7.
ABSTRACT: Daily supplementation with 60 grams of bovine colostrum for 4 weeks does not change blood IGF-I level and does not elicit positive results on drug tests.
11. Schmidmaier G, et al. (2002) Improvement of fracture healing by systemic administration of growth hormone and local application of insulin-like growth factor-1 and transforming growth factor-beta1. Bone 31(1):165-72.
ABSTRACT: Fracture healing is influenced by numerous hormones, growth factors, and cytokines. Local application of growth factors, such as insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and transforming growth factor-beta-1 (TGF-beta1), are known to stimulate bone metabolism.
12. Antonio J, et al. (2001) The Effects of Bovine Colostrum Supplementation on Body Composition and Exercise Performance in Active Men and Women. Nutrition 17:243-247.
ABSTRACT: Supplementation with bovine colostrum (20 g/day) in combination with exercise training may increase bone-free lean body mass in active men and women. Study participants taking colostrum for eight weeks experienced a significant increase in lean body mass.
13. Liang L, et al. (2000) Effect of cytokines on repair of tendon injury. Zhongguo Xiu Fu Chong Jian Wai Ke Za Zhi (Chinese) 14(5):283-5.
ABSTRACT: Cytokines possibly can accelerate tendon repair and show great potentials in future clinical application.
14. Smeets R, et al. (2000) Oral supplementation with bovine colostrum improves sprint performance in elite field hockey players. Presented at 23rd NSCA National Conference and Exhibition, Orlando.
ABSTRACT: After 8 weeks of colostrum supplementation, elite field hockey players improved significantly in the 5 x 10 metres sprint compared to the whey group.
15. Antonio J, (1998) Can Bovine Colostrum Enhance Levels of IGF-1? Muscle & Fitness..
ABSTRACT: Studies indicate that bovine colostrum supplementation can increase levels of IGF-1.
16. Mero A, et al. (1997) Effects of bovine colostrum supplementation on serum IGF-I, IgG, hormone, and saliva IgA during training. Journal of Applied Physiology 83(4):1144-51.
ABSTRACT: Bovine colostrum supplement may increase serum IGF-1 concentration in athletes during strength and speed training.
17. Burke ER. Colostrum as an Athletic Enhancer and Help for AIDS. Nutrition Science News, May, 1996. A review article which discusses the role of colostrum in athletics as well as its benefits for AIDS patients. With regard to athletics, the article focuses on the roles of growth hormones, specifically insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), as well as epidermal growth factor (EGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), in relation to muscle development in athletes. It also discusses colostrum’s effect on leaky gut syndrome, a common problem in the general population, but of particular concern to athletes who perform at their best when they can utilize all the nutrients they take in. It is hypothesized that “sealing” the leaky gut would increase energy levels and smooth out performance, especially for those athletes who experience irritable bowel syndrome as a result of incomplete digestion due to protein supplementation.
18. Sparling PB, et al. (1993) Selected scientific aspects of marathon racing. An update on fluid replacement, immune function, psychological factors and the gender difference. Sports Medicine 15(2):116-132.
ABSTRACT: A review article examining four aspects of marathon racing: fluid replacement, immune function, psychological factors and gender difference. Of interest is data which indicate that marathon runners have increased susceptibility to infectious disease following training and races. This susceptibility can be reduced through proper nutrition, adequate sleep, sufficient recovery between workouts, and avoidance of exposure to sick people during periods of heavy training and competition. In the articles below, it is shown that colostrum supplementation decreases recovery time as well as increases immune functioning, thus reducing this susceptibility for marathon runners and other athletes involved in strenuous exercise.
19. Schwade, S. (1992) Insulin-like growth factors. Muscle & Fitness.
ABSTRACT: This potent growth stimulant found in mother’s milk may help big boys grow bigger. Human muscle cells have a high affinity for IGF-1.
20. Shawn, D. (1992, Aug). Ironman.
Article on positive effects of growth factors in bovine colostrum with weight lifting and athletic endurance.
21. Bak JF, et al. (1991) Effects of growth hormone on fuel utilization and muscle glycogen synthase activity in normal humans. American Journal of Physiology 260(5 pt 1):E736-E742.
ABSTRACT: Growth hormone increases energy expenditures and inhibits glucose oxidation in favor of increased lipid (fat) oxidation. GH also inhibits insulin-mediated activation of the glycogen synthase in skeletal muscle biopsies.
22. Berk LS, et al. (1990) The effect of long endurance running on natural killer cells in marathoners. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 22:207-212.
ABSTRACT: Natural killer cells are lymphocytes which are specialized to seek out and kill foreign cells or infected host cells in a nonspecific manner. They are important in both immunity and the body’s ability to eliminate cancerous cells before they become dangerous. Studies were done on ten experienced marathon runners to see the effects of exercise on natural killer cell activity. Natural killer cells were identified by means of surface markers characteristic of these cells. Following three hours of exercise, natural killer cell activity was found to be markedly decreased at 1.5 and 6 hours post-exercise (as compared to pre-exercise levels), but at 21 hours the levels had returned to the pre-exercise levels. This could indicate an increased susceptibility to infection following strenuous exercise.
23. Nieman DC, et al. (1989) Effects of long-endurance running on immune system parameters and lymphocyte function in experienced marathoners. International Journal of Sports Medicine 10(5):317-23.
ABSTRACT: Marathon runners showed significant changes in white blood cell counts after a 3 hour run, but most returned to normal levels after 21 hours (post-exercise).
24. Shing, CM, et al. (2007). Effects of bovine colostrum supplementation on immune variables in highly trained cyclists. Journal of Applied Physiology 102(3):1113-22.
ABSTRACT: 29 highly trained road cyclists completed a 40 km time trial and then were separated in experimental and placebo test groups. The experimental group was given 10 grams of bovine colostrum protein concentrate (CPC) per day, and the placebo group received 10 grams of whey protein concentrate per day. After 5 weeks of supplementation, the riders were retested on the 40 km course. Then they received 5 days of high intensity training and completed a final 40 km time trial. Blood samples were collected before and after each time trial and tested for various immune variables. Upper respiratory illness (URI) symptoms were recorded over the entire experimental period. Compared to the placebo group, the experimental group which received the CPC significantly increased pre-exercise tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor 1. Supplementation with CPC also significantly suppressed the decrease in cytotoxic/suppressor T cells commonly seen in athletes post-exercise. Those in the experimental group also demonstrated a trend towards a reduced incidence of URI symptoms. In summary, CPC supplementation modulates immune parameters during normal training and after an acute period of intense exercise, which may contribute to lower URI incidence.
25. Shing, CM, et al. (2006) The influence of bovine colostrum supplementation on exercise performance in highly trained cyclists. British Journal of Sports Medicine 40(9):797-801.
ABSTRACT: 29 highly trained male road cyclists underwent preliminary testing for 7 days, including a VO(2max) test to determine ventilation threshold, a time to fatigue test at 110% of ventilation threshold, and a 40 km time trial. The group was then divided into an experimental group which received 10 grams of bovine colostrum protein concentrate (CPC) per day and a placebo group which received 10 grams of whey protein concentrate per day. Both groups resumed their normal training regimen for 5 weeks. They were then retested and underwent 5 days of high intensity training and again retested. The effect of CPC supplementation during normal training showed no significant difference compared to placebo, but after the period of high intensity training there was a significant increase in all performance measurements, time trial performance, time trial intensity (% VO(2 max)), and heart rate during the time trial. CPC supplementation also prevented a decrease in ventilatory threshold during the high intensity training period.
26. Crooks, CV, et al. (2006) The effect of bovine colostrum supplementation on salivary IgA in distance runners. International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism 16(1):47-64.
ABSTRACT: Secretory Immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) is a possible indicator of upper respiratory infection (URI) status. 35 runners, both male and female, aged 35-58 years, received either bovine colostrum or placebo supplementation for 12 weeks. Saliva samples were taken prior to training, monthly during supplementation, and 2 weeks post-supplementation. Median levels of s-IgA increased 79% in the colostrum group after the 12 weeks of supplementation.
27. Kersick, CM, et al. (2007) Impact of differing protein sources and a creatine containing nutritional formula after 12 weeks of resistance training. Nutrition 23(9):647-56.
ABSTRACT: Various combinations of colostrum (Col), a casein/whey protein control (Pro), and creatine (Cr) were given to 49 resistance-trained subjects for 12 weeks. Supplements provided 60 grams per day of Pro or Col. Subjects were weighed, had body composition determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and did one repetition maximum on bench press, leg press and 30 second anaerobic sprint capacity tests. Resistance training increased one repetition maximum, and muscle endurance and sprint capacity increased equally for all groups. Subjects receiving Pro/Col, Pro/Cr, and Col/Cr showed greater gains in body mass and DXA total scanned mass compared to Pro alone. Those receiving Pro/Cr and Col/Cr had greater increases in fat-free mass during training in comparison to Pro/Col.
28. Lycholat, T. (2003) Dairy colostrum: the new creatine? FitPro Magazine, August/September, 2003. www.fitpro.com. ABSTRACT: Despite limited research on the benefits of colostrum supplementation, enough evidence has been produced by various independent laboratories to support the hypothesis that colostrum can promote small but significant and lasting improvement in work capacity and faster recovery as well as the ability to increase non-fat body mass coupled with the lack of doping results make colostrum a very attractive choice for the serious athlete.
29. Mero, A, et al. (2005) Protein metabolism and strength performance after bovine colostrum supplementation. Amino Acids 28(3):327-335. ABSTRACT: The study was designed to determine the response of muscle protein, serum amino acids and strength performance to supplementation with bovine colostrum. A rest group and an exercise group were further broken down into experimental and control subjects. Experimental groups received 20 grams of colostrum per day for two weeks, while the control groups received 20 grams of maltodextrin per day as a placebo. In the exercise experimental group, serum amino acid levels increased as did muscle protein synthesis and breakdown (compared to placebo), but no difference in strength performance, indicating that while colostrum supplementation did not lead to greater strength performance, it did promote recovery after exercise.
30. Leppäluoto, A, et al. (2000) Bovine colostrum supplementation enhances physical performance on maximal exercise tests. 2000 Pre-Olympic Congress Sports Medicine and Physical Education, International Congress on Sport Science, Brisbane, Australia. ABSTRACT: The effect of colostrum supplementation on maximal oxygen uptake and flight times in jump tests was studied in 10 young athletes in a double-blind placebo study. After 12 days, oxygen uptake in the placebo group declined 7% while remaining steady in the colostrum group. Flight times declined for the placebo group in the counter movement and squat jumps while remaining the same or only slightly less for the colostrum group. The results indicate that colostrum supplementation improves running and jumping performance in young athletes.
31. Buckley, JD, et al. (2000) Bovine colostrum supplementation during training increases vertical jump performance. 2000 Pre-Olympic Congress, Sports Medicine and Physical Education, International Congress on Sport Science, Brisbane, Australia. ABSTRACT: In a randomized, double-blind placebo study, 51 active males received 8 weeks of training while consuming 60 grams/day of colostrum (experimental group) or 60 grams/day of whey protein powder (control group). IGF-1 levels in both groups remained unchanged from baseline, but vertical jump performance in the experimental increased 3.0 ±0.6 cm and only 1.3 ±0.7 cm in the control group.
32. Australian Broadcasting Company interview with Drs. John Buckley, Senior Lecturer in Exercise and Sport Studies at the University of South Australia, and Peter Larkins, Sports Physician at the Melbourne Sports Medicine Centre, April 1, 2004.
Printed with permission of ICNR.org
