Colostrum: Growth Hormones and IGF-1

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Colostrum: Growth Hormones and IGF-1 

The so-called growth factors in colostrum, growth hormone (GH) and the insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), are not mutually exclusive in terms of their effects. It is well documented that the influence of growth hormone on the proliferation of new cells in the body occurs primarily through what is known as the GH/IGF axis wherein the presence of GH triggers and enhances the many effects of the IGFs.

There are very small quantities of growth hormone in complete first milking colostrum, but GH is an extremely potent hormone and, thus, not much is required. It directly affects almost every cell in the body and significantly influences the development of new cells, causing them to generate at a more rapid rate when a sufficient quantity of the hormone is present. Scientific studies have shown that one of the benefits of ingesting even small amounts of GH is limitation of the deterioration of cells associated with the aging process. In addition, more recent studies have shown that small doses of GH can accelerate repair of the muscle damage associated with congestive heart failure and much more. This is a case where it is believed that the benefit occurs through the GH/IGF axis.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and its closely related counterpart insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF-2) are potent hormones that are found in association with almost every cell in the body. IGF-1 is the most potent and best described of this pair. These molecules are present in all mammals and, in every case, have a very similar chemical structure regardless of the species. IGF-1 is absolutely necessary for normal cell growth and for the development of the fetus in the uterus. Both IGF-1 and growth hormone are also required for normal development outside of the uterus and that is why they are both present in colostrum. The chemical structure of the IGFs is very similar to insulin and that is where their name comes from.

Scientific knowledge about the IGFs, what they do and how they act on cells in the body has developed very quickly during the last few years. It is now known that there are specific sites, called receptors, on almost all cells in the body capable of interacting with IGF-1. These sites have a structure that fits perfectly with part of the IGF molecule and this interaction triggers a series of chemical events within the cell. There are also 6 different proteins present inside the cell and on the surface of the cell that react to the attachment of IGF-1 to its receptor. These are called insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) and they control the actions of IGF-1 on the cell. In addition, inside the cell there are at least 87 other related proteins either capable of binding to IGF-1, altering its actions, or influencing the effects of the IGFBPs. These are called insulin-like growth factor binding protein-related proteins (IGFBP-rPs). The entire collection of these proteins is referred to as the Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein (IGFBP) Superfamily. The key event that triggers the effects of any of these proteins appears to be the interaction of IGF-1 with its specific cell-surface receptor, an event that some of these proteins regulate. 

The multitude of available IGF-1binding proteins and related proteins available in the cell is indicative of the many potential effects that the binding of IGF-1 to its specific cell-surface receptor can have on cells. To keep these many effects under control, some of the binding proteins act as checks and balances, allowing the secondary chemical switches in a cell to be turned on and then turning them off when it is appropriate. Therefore, IGF-1 is like the captain of a ship. When it binds to its specific receptor, the ship can move forward, but there are all kinds of systems in place to keep it moving at the right speed and in the right direction.

The main triggered events include activation of the process by which the cell grows and reproduces itself and maintenance of the metabolic pathways by which the cell converts glucose into glycogen and uses amino acids to create proteins. The actual pathway by which the cell uses glucose and converts it to glycogen is first switched on by the binding of insulin to its specific cell surface receptors. Glycogen is stored in the liver and muscles and is the reserve source of readily available energy when the muscles are exercised. The IGFBP Superfamily also has a direct role in how the cell uses amino acids to build proteins. As we age, the ability of our body to create an adequate supply of IGF-1 is diminished. Thus, by eating a well-balanced diet and maintaining a constant supply of IGF-1 in our body, we can keep the ship moving at the right speed and in the right direction. And when we exercise this becomes even more critical since there is an increased demand for glycogen to provide energy to our muscles and the preference is to build more muscle protein. Even more importantly, as we age the cells in our body do not reproduce themselves as well and, since IGF-1 is a primary factor, along with growth hormone, in the ability of cells to grow and reproduce, it is highly desirable to have an appropriate level of IGF-1 in the circulation through dietary supplementation to limit the ever increasing rate of cell death.

From the above, we can conclude that making sure that we have sufficient quantities of IGF-1 in the bloodstream, as would occur by dietary supplementation with a high quality first milking colostrum, means assurance of more effective regulation of protein, carbohydrate and fat metabolism. When this is coupled with a well-balanced diet and exercise, the end result will be more muscle and less fat – a leaner body mass. This becomes even more important as we age since metabolism increasingly slows naturally over the years.

There have been several published studies that reflect an increase in IGF-1 levels in the circulation as a result of supplementation with a source of IGF-1. Most have been conducted in athletes since this could be an important consideration.  Our colostrum contains 2200 – 2300 ng per gram of IGF-1, this has been verified through independent testing at Cornell University.  

You should also be aware that a high quality first milking colostrum contains several vitamin and mineral carrier proteins that will assist in the more effective utilization of such substances when they are obtained through dietary supplementation.

It is also very, very important to recognize that all colostrum products are not the same and, despite the claims made by their manufacturers, they do not all contain every beneficial component at an optimum concentration and, in many cases, they have been manipulated and may be missing some of the essential components. When choosing a colostrum product, you should be certain that it is made from only first milking bovine colostrum collected within 6-8 hours after birth of the calf and that the colostrum is “complete” and that none of the components have been removed, including the fat.

This article has been published with special permission by Dr. Anthony Kleinsmith


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35 Comments for Colostrum: Growth Hormones and IGF-1


Excellent article!

I know Whey protein also contains IGF-1. Do you know the difference between the levels of IGF-1 in colostrum and Whey protein?

Can colostrum and Whey protein taken together work synergystically and strenghten their effects?

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This posting was unreadable in my Google reader – yellow text on a white background. All of your previous posts have been fine.

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    I am going to fix this right now! My apologies. My screen is black when I’m reading it so it displays differently. Thanks so much for the heads up.

    Love,

    LeighLon

    Reply

Do you have any suppliers in europe? I tried to order the colostrum but you only ship to us and canada.

Otherwise, do you know of any good colostrum I can buy in the UK?

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    We do not have any distributors in Europe at this time but if you contact us directly with your order at surthrival@gmail.com we will glad ship to you!

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I was a bit confused on the “safety” portion of the document. Are the increased levels of the growth hormones a precursor to different cancers in the body?

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I am also curious about the whey protein taken in conjunction with the colostrum. I am currently taking immunocal which is another form of cysteine provided by the isolated whey protein.

Would injection of colostrum be more beneficial to the body then through digestion? Thank you.

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    There is very little to no IGF-1 in whey protein due to the processing that has occurred. Whey protein is a by product of the cheese making process, its main opportunity for benefit is the amount of protein that it provides.

    Surthrival colostrum has 2300 ng/g of IGF-1 found within it. What that means to you as the consumer is for every gram of powder or for every two capsules you take, you are receiving a large dosage of not just the IGF-1 but the entire Superfamily of Growth proteins.

    If you are looking for cysteine, Surthrival colostrum is a much better source. I have also enclosed an article for you on Immunocal. We are a firm believer of going to the top, that is why we have done so much research through Dr. Don Lein of Cornell University.

    As far as injecting, you actually have receptor sites in the mouth, tongue and down the throat; so by taking the powder and allowing it to absorb you will actually have a better absorption.

    ~Dr. Kleinsmith~

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I think everyone of you should be careful and read your labels. I went to a popular vitamin store and some additional online sources. I found nothing but massive price inflation and large amounts of sugar. The sugar is used to cover up the horrible flavor. You could also do the pill thing but you would need to take a lot of pills in one day to get the correct amount.

I live in Florida and the Future Farmers of America better known as “FFA” is very popular. They also use colostrum in large amounts for there calf’s during there early stages of growth.

Get this you can go to your local feed store and by a 2 pound bag of colostrum for about $12 dollars. You can add all the sugar or chocolate syrup you want all you need is a 1 gram scoop.

Now the supplement world with its giant profits and minimal results will clam that they don’t us the same colostrum. My question is if you don’t then what animal / live stock are you getting your colostrum supply from? In the US you are limited to pigs, buffalo, horses or bovine. The cheapest is bovine. 2 pounds for $12 that is a lot of pills!! You could compete with this company. ;-)

Don’t waste your money go to your local feed store. Where do you think the juice came from back in the day? The feed store!

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    Hello ManCow12,

    Many Colostrum products on the market do contain added sugars, although SurThrival Colostrum does not contain any sugars, nor any additives of any kind. It is simply the whole Colostrum spray-dried into a powder. Our Colostrum product has an amazing flavor, and that is its natural flavor without any added sugar.

    As for the price difference between our product and the local feed store in your area, our product has a higher price point as it is spray-dried into an easy to consume powder to be added into food and beverages. Our Colostrum also comes from cows raised with integrity and fed a high-quality organic diet. The nutrient content of our Colostrum is unlike any other on the market.

    We appreciate your interest and opinion!

    ~Ali
    (SurThrival Customer Support)

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I’m wondering; how long does freshly harvested, never been frozen colostrum keep its bioavailability and nutrients for full benefits and use? What is the degrading period/ length of time when kept refrigerated? Much appreciated, thanks.

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Do you have a supplier in Australia?

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    Hello Will!

    Currently, we do not have a supplier based out of Australia, though we more than likely will in the coming future! We do ship internationally, and would be happy to ship to you in Australia!

    We appreciate your interest!

    ~Ali
    (SurThrival Customer Support)

    Reply

Are the cows raised on grass and are they “organic”?
No antibotics, hormone and cruelty free?
The are not from CAFOs?

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    Hello Kathleen!

    Yes, the cows are raised on grass that is organic, they are just not certified. They eat it year round.

    The cows do not receive antibiotics, hormones, and are raised and treated humanely and with care! They are definitely not raised on any kind of factory farm.

    Hope this information answers your questions!

    ~ Ali
    (SurThrival Customer Support)

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Could you touch on if your (surthrival) colostrum powder is pasteurized and is not, why not? I ordered some and am a little reserved about giving it to my family for this reason. Thanks!

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Can you also respond to this quote from the Wellness.com website “Bovine colostrum is a source of IGF-1. Several studies have found that IGF-1 levels correlate with the risk of prostate cancer and colorectal cancer in men, premenopausal breast cancer in women, and lung cancer in both men and women. Not all studies agree with these findings, and it is not clear how this relates to the use of bovine colostrum. Caution is advised in patients with or at risk for cancer, or taking herbs or supplements with anti-cancer effects.”

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    Hello Christy,

    We have heard concern in the past about IGF-1 contributing to cancer, though we have yet to see any scientific evidence that this is true. This quote seems a bit unclear, as they state that they are unsure as to how the cancer relates to the bovine colostrum. IGF-1 is a naturally occurring growth hormone in our body. Our understanding is doctors have noticed that there is an increase in IGF-1 levels circulating throughout the body in patients with prostate, breast, colorectal, and lung cancers. However, this increase of IGF-1 in cancer patients, is taking place in many patients, not just people who consume colostrum and have cancer. It seems to us, as though there is little scientific evidence of Colostrum’s IGF-1 growth factors actually being the cause of cancer. I have an informational document regarding the relationship between IGF-1 and cancer, which I would be happy to send along to you for your research purposes.

    We appreciate your inquiry!

    Sincerely,

    The SurThrival Team

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Is your powdered Colostrum product pasterized? If not, why not? Thanks.

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    Hello Christy!

    Our Colostrum goes through a drying process called “flash-pasteurization” where the liquid Colostrum is exposed to temperatures below 115 degrees in order to dry it into the powder we provide it as. This brief heating process is done in order to maintain bioavailability and eliminate potential harmful bacteria. Less than 1% of the nutrients in the Colostrum are effected by the drying process, so all of the beneficial nutrition remains intact. We do not believe in fully pasteurizing our product, as we do not want to kill off all of the nutrients by heating it at extreme temperatures. We want to provide our community with the highest-quality Colostrum product on the market, so we refrain from pasteurizing it in order for the nutrition to remain present.

    I hope this helps to clarify your concerns!

    Sincerely,

    The SurThrival Team

    Reply

Could you please send me the article about Immunocal that was mentioned in a reply to one of the comments? I just started taking it and now you have raised a question in my mind about it.

Would Colostrum be helpful for someone with Osteoporosis?

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    Hello Esther!

    I have sent you the Immunocal article :)

    SurThrival is legally bound from offering medical advice in regards to specific health conditions, due to the fact that we are not trained medical professionals. We always first suggest that our customers consult their current health practitioners about using our products for their health challenges.
    Colostrum have been known to be highly regenerative due to its dense concentration of IGF-1 growth factors. These growth factors can potentially assist in the regeneration of muscle tissue, cells, and bone. I will also send you our Health Practitioners document regarding our Colostrum as it contains a wealth of information which I trust will provide you with more insight on the benefits of using Colostrum

    We appreciate your interest!

    Sincerely,

    The SurThrival Team

    Reply

i too am in UK so is it true we are denied

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    Hi Marie!

    What are you referring to being denied of?

    Sincerely,

    The SurThrival Team

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I’m curious as to what the Surthrival team thinks about applying colostrum on large areas of the skin as a cream. The goal being to by-pass the digestive system to get the maximum amount of growth factors into the blood stream. On that note, would one be just better off using the elk antler extract?

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    Hello Jerry!

    We have heard/seen people have great success with using Colostrum topically. Colostrum is entirely bio-available so our digestive system can absorb the growth factors and assimilate them efficiently. You could use the Colostrum both topically and internally. Using the Elk Antler Velvet extract in conjunction with the Colostrum makes for a protocol that provides the full spectrum of benefits.

    I hope this information is helpful to you! Please let me know if I may further assist you in any way.

    Sincerely,

    Ali Schueler
    Customer Support
    http://www.SurThrival.com

    Reply

Hi, could you tell me two things about surthrival
colostrum? What
percentage of IgG does it contain? And is there
a reason why surthrival
colostrum is spray dried
instead of freeze dried?
Thanks.

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    Hello Padraig!

    The average IgG content in our Colostrum product is 22.11%. This may vary minimally with each batch that is harvested.

    We choose to spray-dry our Colostrum because we feel this method makes for an extremely bio-available product and it leaves all of the beneficial nutrients fully in tact. Less that 1% of the nutrients are lost during the spray-drying process. We dry the Colostrum at temperatures below 115 degrees so it is not treated with heavy amounts of heat.

    I hope this information is helpful to you!

    Sincerely,

    Ali Schueler
    Customer Support
    http://www.SurThrival.com

    Reply

I am 65 and have an interest in anti-aging supplements.
I have been using colostrum at night to renew myself and have found that it’s properties are almost miraculous. I use Jarrows and they no longer specify the amount of growth factors contained in a serving. Also they might not be specifying if its the first milking. I know a problem has developed because the very first milking is being given to the calf. And the milking after that is called “within the first 24 hours” or something like that. Most of the companies that are selling colostrum are not specifying anylonger if its the first milking but are saying it occurred in “the first so many hours” usually less than 24hrs. Would be interested in several names of several companies that actual state “first milking”. And possibly state how much of each growth factor is present in a single serving.

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    Hello oldbuccaneer584!

    Our Colostrum is 3rd party verified first milking Colostrum. It is harvested within the first 6-hours after the baby calf is born and after the baby calf receives its share of Colostrum. Many companies make claims that their Colostrum is first milking when it is not. We feel the third party verification method is the most integral way of proving this and are confident in the integrity of our product. Our Colostrum contains 22.11% levels of Immunoglobulins. When the immunoglobulins are high and that there is a fat content of 15-25%, the growth factor portion will also be high. Research shows that the fat “holds” approximately 30% of the IGF-1. Our colostrum is never de-fatted and always contains its naturally occurring fat content. Check out the Colostrum page on our website, http://www.SurThrival.com/colostrum.html to read more about our product.

    I hope this information is helpful to you!

    Sincerely,

    The SurThrival Team

    Reply

Hi, I am a natural bodybuilder and have heard about other natural bodybuilders making “steroid like” gains from taking large doses of veterinary grade colostrum.

With regards to the IGF superfamily contained within colostrum, is megadosing safe? I you get 2300ng/g, then taking just 4 teaspoons would give about 460mcg of IGF-1. That seems like alot?! Yet both Daniel Vitalis and Dr Kleinsmith mentioned they had megadosed. So is it safe? Is there a reason colostrum’s IGF superfamily can never be dangerous?

Bodybuilders who take large doses of growth hormones are theorised to have “growth guts” where their intestines have grown along with the muscle. Could this happen with mega dosing colostrum? I have never heard of it, but it just seems if colostrum is as good as advertised at delivering hormones, is there a need to start thinking how those hormones may effect us? I know there seem to be many positives, but are there any hidden negatives? Such as intestinal growth, or the risk of increasing the likely hood of cancer?

I dont think shut down is a possibility with growth hormones, but I have heard you may become desensitized to the hormones over time.

I would greatly appreciate an answer. Many thanks

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    Hello John!

    Thank you for your inquiry. To our understanding, there is not a risk of overdosing with our Colostrum product. We have many customers, including ourselves, who consume large amounts of our Colostrum on a daily basis with no ill side effects.

    Because we are not trained medical professionals, we are unfortunately legally unable to answer some of your questions directly because we are not equipped to provide medical advice or diagnose specific health challenges. Also, defining exact amounts of IGF-1 per dose of Colostrum is something that only clinical professionals can really do – However, it does some like you answered your own question in your second comment.

    I apologize that we can not answer some of your questions more directly, though I appreciate your understanding of our legal position and hope some of this information is helpful to you!

    Sincerely,

    The SurThrival Team

    Reply

Apologies. I think my last conversion may have been incorrect. I think 4 tea spoons of colostrum would provide about 46mcg IGF 1. And 8 tea spoons would provide 92mcg. This actually seems a lot more reasonable, and a dose I think most bodybuilders would consider at the lower/safer end of the spectrum. So perhaps as long as you keep below 8-10 tea spoons per day (for people around 200-220lbs) you should manage to get the positive benefits of the IGF with minimal risk of intestinal growth. But I’m guessing if someone took like 100 tea spoons a day, there could indeed be some unpleasant side effects!!

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Is colostrum safe for children to take, if so what years of age are recommended?

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    Hello Jason!

    Because we are not medical professionals or veterinarians, we are legally unable to provide our clients with direct medical advice. However, I can tell you that Colostrum is a substance that is produced by all mother mammals, including humans, and it is a substance that is produced for children. Having said that, I do know that we have several clients who have chosen to supplement their children’s diet with our Colostrum product, with children as early as 1 years old and then older children as well. None of our clients children experienced negative side effects from this.

    I hope this information is helpful to you!

    Sincerely,

    The SurThrival Team

    Reply



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