In the July issue of the British Journal of Sportsmedicine interesting results concerning colostrum/biestmilch* intake for high-performance athletes were published. The most striking aspect in this paper is the fact that as far as I know for the first time in Australia the study group that initiated this study used a relatively low daily amount of colostrum/biestmilch to perform this study. They administered instead of 20 – 60 grams a day only 10 grams and achieved positive results. This approach endorses the results of our placebo-controlled doubleblind study in which we compared one gram with 4 grams daily. No advantage in either group could be observed.
The influence of bovine colostrum supplementation on exercise performance in highly trained cyclists
C M Shing1, D G Jenkins1, L Stevenson2 and J S Coombes1
1 School of Human Movement Studies, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia
2 Centre for Phytochemistry and Pharmacology, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia
Colostrum/biestmilch had already prooved its efficacy on performance in endurance athlete when administered high-dose. Therefore the foremost aim of this experiment was to investigate the influence of low dose bovine colostrum intake on exercise performance in cyclists over a 10 week period that included 5 days of high intensity training.
Over 7 days of preliminary testing, 29 highly trained male road cyclists completed a VO2max test (in which their ventilatory threshold was estimated), a time to fatigue test at 110% of ventilatory threshold, and a 40 km time trial. Cyclists were then assigned to either a supplement (n = 14, 10 g/day bovine colostrum protein concentrate) or a placebo group (n = 15, 10 g/day whey protein) and resumed their normal training. Following 5 weeks of supplementation, the cyclists returned to the laboratory to complete a second series of performance testing (week 7). They then underwent five consecutive days of high intensity training (week 8) followed by a further series of performance tests (week 9).
Short Summary of Results
Ambiguous results after normal training, but significant results after high intensity training.
The interpretation of the influence of bovine colostrum on the 40 km time trial performance during normal training was unclear. However, at the end of the high intensity training period, bovine colostrum/biestmilch supplementation, compared to the placebo, elicited a 1.9±2.2% improvement from baseline in the 40 km time trial performance and a 2.3±6.0% increase in time trial intensity (% VO2max), and maintained the 40 km time trial heart rate (2.5±3.7%). In addition, bovine colostrum/biestmilch supplementation prevented a decrease in ventilatory threshold following the high intensity training period (4.6±4.6%).
The following conclusions were drawn: Low dose bovine colostrum/biestmilch supplementation elicited improvements in the 40 km time trial performance during an high intensity training period and maintained ventilatory threshold following five consecutive days of high intensity training.
The present data show that low dose bovine colostrum/biestmilch supplementation provides a worthwhile improvement in the 40 km time trial performance following a period of high intensity training. In addition, there was a possible benefit of bovine colostrum/biestmilch to enhance the 40 km time trial intensity and prevent a decrease in submaximal heart rate during high intensity training. Bovine colostrum/biestmilch supplementation also provided a possible benefit to minimise fatigue and/or enhance recovery by maintaining ventilatory threshold 3–4 days following the high intensity training period.
Bovine colostrum/biestmilch supplementation, when compared to the placebo, provided a likely benefit for the 40 km time trial performance at the end of a 5 day period of high intensity training. Improvements in time trial performance in already highly trained athletes following high intensity training are smaller than improvements in performance observed with untrained to moderately trained individuals following training. For highly trained athletes, a worthwhile improvement in performance is considered to be half of the coefficient of variation for that measure. The 1.65% improvement in the 40 km time trial for the bovine colostrum/biestmilch group following high intensity training can be considered a small but worthwhile improvement as in our laboratory the coefficient of variation for the 40 km time trial performance following familiarisation is 0.9±0.7%.
More scientific details on *biestmilch/colostrum
Colostrum is the first milk produced by mammals after parturition and contains high concentrations of growth and immune factors essential to the physiological maturation of the newborn. Growth factors in colostrum include insulin-like growth factors and transforming growth factors and are believed to play an important role in the development of skeletal muscle, gastrointestinal differentiation, and cell repair.
The importance of colostrum for human neonate immune system development is well recognised, and the presence of closely homologous bioactive components in bovine colostrum has led to the growing use of bovine colostrum in humans.
Limited research to date suggests that bovine colostrum supplementation enhances exercise performance and recovery. Bovine colostrum/biestmilch supplementation at 60 g/day for 8 weeks has been shown to improve repeat sprint performance, peak vertical jump power and peak cycle power, and peak running speed during a repeated bout of intense exercise. In addition, a 20 g/day dose and a 60 g/day dose over 8 weeks have both been reported to improve cycle time trial performance. Whether a smaller and hence more economical dose can enhance exercise performance needs to be established.
As bovine colostrum/biestmilch has been found to improve endurance cycling performance and enhance recovery from an acute exercise session, it may benefit athletes during consecutive days of high intensity training or competition where recovery between exercise sessions is limited.
Periods of high intensity training among athletes have been associated with a reduction in exercise time to fatigue at 110% of anaerobic threshold,a decrease in submaximal exercise heart rate, and a decrease in the anaerobic threshold. The influence of bovine colostrum on performance and recovery from consecutive high intensity training sessions over several days is yet to be investigated.
Although the present data limit speculation as to the mechanism/s
responsible for the improvements in the 40 km time trial performance
for the bovine colostrum/biestmilch group at the end of a 5 day high
intensity training period, energy availability may have been enhanced.
Increased muscle glycogen levels during normal training do not improve
one hour cycling performance or 45 min cycling performance (at an
average intensity of 82% VO2max). However, during repeated days of high
intensity exercise, enhanced muscle glycogen content may prevent and/or
delay fatigue. Research has previously found that colostrum/biestmilch
feeding in newborn calves increases plasma glucose concentrations and
is associated with enhanced gluconeogenesis rate limiting enzymes
pyruvate carboxylase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase.
Colostrum/biestmilch also contains IGF-1 which has been found to
enhance glucose uptake by skeletal muscle, independent of changes in
GLUT-4 protein. Whether bovine colostrum/biestmilch improves muscle
glycogen resynthesis during periods of intense training warrants
investigation.
**Commentary referring to the result in the placebo group
The placebo group experienced a slight decrease in the 40 km time trial
performance from baseline, despite an increase in exercise intensity.
Ronsen and colleagues have reported an increase in VO2 at the same
submaximal exercise intensity when cyclists are fatigued from a prior
bout of exercise, which may be the result of an increase in fat
oxidation as a result of depleted muscle glycogen concentrations. The
placebo group also experienced a decrease in average the 40 km time
trial heart rate at the end of the high intensity training period,
which may indicate greater fatigue when compared to the bovine
colostrum/biestmilch group. Declines in submaximal heart rate have also
been reported by Verde et al. and Lehmann et al. following a period of
intensified training, which has been associated with a decrease in
performance.
