Virtually every full-blown SARS-Cov-2 infection leaves a certain degree of destruction in various tissues of the human body. The most common location for such damage is the lungs, but it is also seen in other tissues, including the central and semi-peripheral nervous system, the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, heart, osteoarticular system, and blood vessels throughout the body.
Convalescence after Covid-19
The most characteristic are the consequences in the area of the lower respiratory tract and the nervous system. They lead to long-term obstruction of gas exchange in the lungs with subsequent exercise failure, as well as to neurological symptoms such as neuralgia, and weakened concentration and intellectual capacity – the so-called covid fog.
Convalescence after covid-19 is a long-term process, requiring rehabilitation care and probably (experience in this area is still very limited) not always leading to the recovery of full pre-infectious efficiency. Therefore, apart from the implementation of a wide rehabilitation program for convalescents, it is necessary to look for additional ways to support the process of reaching the maximum efficiency of the body.
Supplementation with colostrum bovinum generates a whole range of proven positive effects on the organism weakened for various reasons, which is why it seems to be an ideal candidate for use as a recovery aid after covid-19. In order to understand what aspects of reducing the effects of covid-19 colostrum could have the most significant impact, it is necessary to analyze the individual types of events occurring in this disease that could be prevented or partially reversed as a result of the impact of this natural supplement.
Dig. 1. Potential pathogenetic pathways in covid-19. The possibility of generating inflammatory changes in various organs and tissues as a consequence of direct damage caused by infecting viruses, as well as as a result of excessive accumulation of immune complexes in the tissues (neutralizing antibody linked to the virus), which induce inflammation by activating the complement system. Inflammatory reactions triggered by viral infection or by the accumulation of immune complexes can be potentiated by pro-inflammatory cytokines from primary inflammatory foci, e.g. in the lungs.
Colostrum strengthens the anti-infective immunity and reduces inflammation
The use of colostrum as a safeguard against viral infections of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract has been investigated in the past. It has been proven that colostrum supplementation before the fall-winter season effectively reduces the frequency and severity of typical infections with seasonal viruses. A similar effect has not been studied so far for obvious reasons for the coronaviruses, which have infect the human population relatively rarely in the past. However, by analogy to its protective effect against other viruses, it is very likely that colostrum also enhances immunity against SARS-Cov-2.
Another extremely important aspect of colostrum’s activity is its improvement and alleviation of the course of inflammations. As one of the most serious direct causes of severe course and permanent tissue damage in covid-19 is the violent and extremely intense inflammation as a consequence of massive tissue destruction (mainly in the lung) by the virus, the anti-inflammatory effect of colostrum may prove extremely beneficial. The first reports of the implementation of research programs to test this activity in covid-19 have recently appeared. Positive effects of the use of colostrum in this aspect can be expected as the studies conducted so far have shown that it is capable of shifting the cytokine profile from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory.
Colostrum improves healing
The effect of colostrum on inflammation not only alleviates its immediate effects (eg “cytokine storm”, which partially affects the severity of the course of infection), but by rationalizing its course leads to minimizing its long-term consequences. Inflammation, especially of high intensity such as in covid-19, inevitably leads to secondary tissue damage that must be repaired at the end of the process. They overlap and intensify the primary damage caused by the inflammatory agent itself – in this case, the SARS-Cov-2 virus. Inflammation soothing effect of colostrum allows to reduce secondary damage to a minimum.
Moreover, the rationalization and improvement of the course of inflammation allows us to expect a much more effective cleaning of tissues damaged by inflammation, which significantly reduces the formation of fibrous scar tissue in places of tissue damage. And such inelastic tissue that builds up massively in the lungs as a result of inflammation is one of the serious reasons for reducing their ventilation mobility.
Improving the healing process is one of the most important and well-known aspects of colostrum. It is achieved not only by improving the efficiency of macrophages, the main cells that cleanse the tissues of damaged elements, which allows for a significant reduction in scarring processes. Another effect of colostrum is the activation and regulation of fibroblasts, cells responsible for healing damaged tissues.
Colostrum improves neurological and cognitive functions
One of the most serious consequences of covid-19 is damage to the nervous system. The most common complication is the so-called “Covid fog” consisting of usually a moderate degree of problems with concentration and memory. The effects of colostrum on cognition as well as other psychological and neurological aspects in various disorders of the nervous system, including Alzheimer’s disease, have been studied in the past. The results of many different studies devoted to these issues have confirmed the invariably positive effect of colostrum on the functioning of the central nervous system of such patients, which allows to expect similar effects in the reduction of the neurological effects of covid-19.
Colostrum increases the motivation to exercise
Finally, one of the widely reported effects of colostrum administration is improved motivation to exercise. Under the influence of colostrum supplementation, elderly people very often return to previously abandoned various types of physical activity, and people actively practicing sports are much more likely to undertake daily training efforts. The participation of colostrum in generating and maintaining the will for daily rehabilitation exercises, necessary for the return to the maximum respiratory and general fitness of the body, may be extremely important for the convalescence process.
Colostrum restores intestinal homeostasis
Any severe disease that requires the repair of damaged tissues, including covid-19, requires the highest efficiency of the digestive tract in order to provide the building blocks and energy to rebuild the damage. Unfortunately, the SARS-Cov-2 virus often damages not only the lungs and the central nervous system, but also the intestines, which can significantly reduce their ability to be properly absorbed. One of the best-known aspects of the effect of colostrum on the body is the extremely efficient restoration of intestinal homeostasis, therefore the use of this effect could be a sufficient justification for the use of colostrum in convalescents after covid-19.
In summary, colostrum may play a significant role in the recovery from SArS-Cov-2 infection, regardless of the severity of the disease and its long-term effects. Thanks to the extremely complex composition of this natural supplement, the effect of colostrum is multidirectional, which can have a positive impact on almost every aspect of post-covid rehabilitation.
Dr. n. med. Maciej Hałasa
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