As previously indicated, bovine colostrum is very effective is helping the immune system destroy bacterial, viral, and fungal infections (including Candida) in that it supplies large amounts of IgA and lactoferrin, and boosts the natural killer cell function and glutathione production, too, when sufficient substrates (the amino acids cysteine, glycine, and glutamine) are available. It has been used effectively in reducing inflammation in autoimmune conditions. It also increases Growth Hormone (hGH) that benefits the transport of amino acids into cells, and elevates the uptake of blood glucose, and causes greater utilization of fat for energy. It (hGH) also tends to increase muscle mass. Increased production of growth hormone greatly increases the need for EFAs.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have been able to demonstrate, for the first time, that children who face a greater risk for the illness, through family history of major depression, produce significantly less growth hormone than their normal peers when given growth hormone releasing hormone. This builds on their research from 1994 that discovered children and adolescents with acute episodes of major depression secrete less growth hormone during and after their illness.
There is a product called “Transfer Factor™” (TF) derived from colostrum in which the factors in colostrum that boost the immune system’s ability to recognize and destroy antigens (foreign substances or bugs it has never been exposed to) are concentrated to about 100 to 1. This “messenger molecule” is not destroyed in the stomach as a protein antibody would be. Thus, the immunity of the cow, which contains many of the antibodies of the human, is transferred to the human. It is also said to be an immune modulator, boosting Natural Killer Cell function and activity significantly while either boosting or suppressing T-cell activity as needed. You purchase it from 4Life™ at: www.supercolostrum.com/colostrum/Information/information2.htm. There is a general “Transfer Factor”, and there are specific “Transfer Factor” products, (e.g., one where the source was infected with a specific virus should enable the body to overcome a chronic infection by that virus). There is a version of “Transfer Factor” from Chisolm Biological Laboratory that uses eggs as the source. Dr. Fudenberg’s group did considerable work with this, I understand. While the 4Life™ “Transfer Factor” gives the wide exposure of the cow to the human, the Chisolm ImmunFactor™ gives the free-range exposure of the chicken, plus the chicken is then exposed to specific human antigens to produce eight combinations of “Antigen Specific Transfer Factors”. Thus, several select antigens such as various viruses and Candida can be specifically targeted (www.chisolmbio.com or 800-664-1333). The need and benefit of such products is easy to understand when one recognizes most of these children are suffering with one or more low grade, chronic infections, and their immune system either does not recognize it, or does not have the antibodies sufficient to destroy it. Dr. Hugh H. Fudenberg has done the definitive work with TF in autism. An abstract of a study with autistic youngsters follows:
Fudenberg, H. H. Dialysable lymphocyte extract (DLyE)
in infantile onset autism: a pilot study. Biotherapy 1996;9(1-3):143-7.
Immuno Therapeutics Research Foundation,
I understand that the product should be used for three or more months, and then to prevent regression, it should be pulsed (used for a few days) every three months.