Colostrum contains the natural Growth factor IGF-1, which is why it was previously from the WADA was briefly classified as a potential doping agent.
However, scientific studies show that IGF-1 from colostrum is digested in the gut and does not actively enter the bloodstream, which means no doping risk arises.
The scientific consensus confirms that colostrum does not cause an increase in IGF-1 levels that could lead to a positive doping test.
Colostrum is also considered in the context of athletes, particularly with regard to the Immune System, Regeneration, and gut health.
Avoiding colostrum out of fear of doping is scientifically unfounded, provided it is a high-quality, tested product.
Athletes and sportspeople tend to pay particularly close attention to a healthy diet and their bodies. Because of their high energy expenditure and the exponentially high strain on the body, athletes and sportspeople often turn to dietary supplements and nutritional products.
Colostrum, Mother Nature's natural immune and nutrient wonder, has therefore been of particular interest to sports enthusiasts and athletes from all over the world for more than 20 years. Unfortunately, and as we now know, unjustly, the nutrient-rich colostrum was for a time suspected of acting as a doping agent, which is why it temporarily banned for athletes was on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list of prohibited substances.
While colostrum is no longer banned by WADA, the agency's FAQ section still advises against taking it during professional sporting competitions. Scientific studies, biochemists, and food researchers have since been able to give athletes the all-clear: Colostrum carries no doping risk. In addition, countless positive effects of colostrum on health have been documented.
Why athletes no longer need to fear taking colostrum during competitions, why it is not considered a doping substance, and why the Intake even advisable is suitable for people who exercise regularly and intensively, which is what we would like to clarify in this article. We would also like to address WADA's reasoning for continuing to advise against taking colostrum during competitions.
If you haven't yet read our detailed article on colostrum, feel free to do so here do it once more.
In short, colostrum is the first substance that is passed on to a newborn after the pregnancy of a mammal, such as a woman or a cow. Colostrum is produced in liquid form by the female mammary glands and contains concentrated and diverse components in the form of Antibodies, Egg whites, Vitamins, Amino Acids and many other valuable ingredients that are meant to strengthen the newborn in the first days after birth.
Among these healthy nutrients is also IGF-1, which is a so-called growth factor.
But what exactly is IGF-1?
Simply put, IGF-1 a growth hormone found in dairy products, among other things – and therefore also in bovine colostrum, the first milk.
From a scientific perspective, IGF-1 is somewhat more complex. It is a cytokine that is similar in structure and function to the better-known Insulin-related is. IGF-1 stimulates the body's own Protein synthesis and can therefore naturally support growth processes, such as those of organs or muscles. The IGF (Insulin-like Growth Factor) however, due to its lack of immunological cross-reactivity. The immunological cross-reactivity is the binding of an antibody to two different antigens.
In principle, IGFs are involved in wound healing in the body, in hypertrophy (growth processes of organs), and in the Regeneration of damaged nerve cells.
There are a total of two IGFs: IGF-1, which is also referred to as somatomedin C or "basic somatomedin" and is discussed in this article, and IGF-2. Incidentally, IGF-1 is produced in our body by the liver.
"Insulin-like growth factors" are highly conserved, homologous peptides produced by both fetal and adult tissues in the body.
In our blood and in the colostrum relevant to us, the majority of IGFs are bound to specific proteins that serve as carrier proteins.
And how exactly do these IGFs work, and why did WADA classify colostrum as doping for a time?
IGFs generally have a wide range of effects on our body. They lower our blood sugar levels and stimulate growth factors in the body. In addition, they sometimes work synergistically with other growth factors in our body.
IGFs also stimulate our DNA synthesis and protein synthesis, increase the rate of cell division, and boost our metabolism. The natural serum concentration of IGFs in an adult is between 150 and 250 μg/l for IGF-1 and 400–900 μg/l for IGF-2.
IGFs are a natural component of our bodies. Because of its effect as a growth hormone, the World Anti-Doping Agency briefly moved, before 2013, to classify the naturally occurring IGF-1 in colostrum as doping and to ban it as a muscle-building substance both in and out of competition.
Since 2013, this ban has been lifted and replaced by a recommendation against its use in the "Questions and Answers" section of WADA. WADA advises considering that taking colostrum could potentially lead to a positive doping test, even though it no longer classifies colostrum itself as a doping substance.
The advice against consuming colostrum during competitions to avoid the risk of a positive doping test, which has appeared in WADA's FAQ section since 2013, still acts as a deterrent for some athletes.
Understandably, these athletes do not want to risk a positive doping test and therefore often forgo taking colostrum on the advice of WADA. Why this is not only scientifically questionable and in part unfounded, but also not necessarily in the best interests of athletes, is what we would like to explain below:
We already know that IGF-1 is found in some dairy products and can act as a natural growth factor.
Wouldn't WADA then have had to classify cow's milk and other dairy products as doping substances as well? Theoretically, yes.
After all, whey protein has been proven in some cases to contain just as much IGF-1 as colostrum, and by WADA's logic it should therefore be avoided as a precaution. Yet WADA does not advise against consuming whey protein, and it has not removed the advice against taking colostrum from its FAQs.
What does the current scientific evidence say about this?
The nutrients in colostrum are considered in connection with various topics of interest to athletes, such as the Immune System, gut flora, and nutritional aspects. Athletes, who push their bodies harder than the "average" person, pay particular attention to their nutrient supply, which is why colostrum is a food that is attracting attention in the sports world.
But should athletes avoid it because the IGF-1 in colostrum is supposedly a doping issue according to WADA?
Several scientific studies have examined IGF-1, colostrum, and doping. The findings raise questions about WADA's assessment in its FAQ section, because:
A study from Finland, conducted as a follow-up to the investigation of the supposed anabolic effect of colostrum, concluded that the IGF-1 from colostrum was already digested in the human gut and did not pass intact into the bloodstream. According to the study, the discussed increase in IGF-1 levels in the blood can therefore be attributed to the body's own production in the liver and not to the colostrum.
The Max Rubner Institute has also commented on the debate about IGF-1 in dairy products and on WADA's assessment:
"The normal IGF-1 concentration in the blood is in the range of 89–342 ng/mL, with a median of 182 ng/mL. Consuming milk and dairy products therefore contributes only slightly to raising the IGF-1 concentration in the blood. Whether milk proteins raise IGF-1 concentration more than other proteins in adults has not been fully clarified. Some observational studies found a positive association between milk protein intake and IGF-1 concentration, but other studies were unable to confirm this."
There are many reasons why taking colostrum poses no doping risk, even during competitions.
Colostrum is considered in connection with the gut and the Immune System. The topic is of interest not only to athletes, but also to many people who are concerned with their diet. The International Olympic Committee has also looked into colostrum in connection with dietary supplements for athletes. Whether it is necessary to avoid colostrum out of concern about a positive doping test can be assessed on the basis of the studies mentioned above.
You can now see for yourself.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Sven Altorfer
Sven Altorfer is the founder, CEO, and head of research and development at the Swiss Health Nutrition AG. With his expertise in nutrition and bioactive substances, he advocates for natural approaches to health in order to promote preventive measures and the body's self-healing powers.
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