We can all use a little extra help when it comes to building energy – and that goes double for athletes. One supplement that could help is bovine colostrum.
Colostrum Benefits
Colostrum is the early milk that a mammal produces for a few days after delivering a baby. In cows, it’s called bovine colostrum. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine reports that bovine colostrum helped male cyclists have more energy during a bout of intense training.
Cecelia Shing, at the University of Queensland in Australia, followed 29 male distance cyclists. Her research team first took baseline measurements of the men’s performance on a 40-kilometer time trial. They then randomly assigned the cyclists to drink either a supplement containing 10 grams of bovine colostrum protein or a whey protein supplement every day for eight weeks. During week eight, the men underwent five consecutive days of high-intensity training. There were no clear differences between the two groups during normal training. However, volunteers who used bovine colostrum performed at a higher level, with fewer signs of fatigue, during tests taken after the five-day run of intense training.
There are certain foods that I would consider superfoods in that they have a high concentration of substances useful for well-being and overall health. Colostrum falls into this category. It is rich in immunoglobulins – proteins involved in promoting the immune system and fighting germs. It has other beneficial compounds, too – such as growth factors and nucleosides – that are not found in regular milk.
You can find bovine colostrum in the dairy section of any health food store. It is also available as a supplement in capsule form.
[Ed. Note: Ray Sahelian, MD, the author of Mind Boosters, ETRhealthconcerns is internationally recognized as a moderate voice in the evaluation of natural supplements. Visit Dr. Sahelian's website at www.RaySahelian.com, and read more of his articles about the supplements you should and shouldn't be taking at ETR's free natural health e-letter.]
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