Why colostrum benefits those with diabetes?

Recently if you google search the term ‘colostrum’, you will come across many testimonials (many in the Malay language) testifying the amazing results they are getting from Alpha Lipid Lifeline. Alpha Lipid Lifeline is the world’s first Colostrum-based powder products made available by a New Zealand company New Image International. Lifeline was first available as far back as 1998.

Among those testimonials, people with diabetes who took Alpha Lipid Lifeline have had amazing benefits. Alpha Lipid Lifeline’s four major components are colostrum, calcium, acidophilus, and vitamin B complex.  Again if you look up all these components and inflammation in Google Search, you will find research papers on their benefits on anti-inflammation. By design or accident, Alpha Lipid Lifeline may help reduce chronic inflammation of our body. Chronic inflammation has been blamed for causing almost every human health problems.

Chronic inflammation is an obstacle to the proper functioning of many of our biological chemistry. So when it (chromic inflammation) is reduced, things get better and there it a chance for the body to return to a healthier state. But many with diabetes are so happy with what Alpha Lipid Lifeline is doing for them. I think it must be significant and there must be a reason.

First, lets learn a little on diabetes. There are three types of diabetic conditions, namely, gestational, type I and type II.

Gestational Diabetes

This is a diabetic condition that happens to some women during pregnancy. Owing to the hormonal changes during pregnancy, the woman’s body couldn’t produce enough insulin – or the cells have a problem (insulin resistance) responding to the insulin. These caused the glucose to remain in the blood, increasing the blood sugar level. Most women recover from this condition after delivering the baby. However, some may also become diabetic for life.

Type I diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a condition where the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas produce little or no insulin. This caused the blood sugar to remain high in the blood which may lead to more diabetic complications. Although type I diabetes can occur at any age, it is most often diagnosed in children, adolescents, or young adults.

The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown. This condition may be genetic or often thought to be an autoimmune disorder. The immune function mistakenly attack and destroy the beta cells in the pancreas that make insulin.

Type II diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Millions of people around the world have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Many of them are not aware that they are at high risk of developing this condition. Many of the older folks may become diabetic and got to live with this chronic condition and its complications.

In type 2 diabetes, although the body may be producing enough insulin but the cells ignore or were unable to use the insulin. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use glucose for energy. When you eat food, the body breaks down all of the sugars and starches into glucose, which is the basic fuel for the cells in the body. Insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. When the cells in the body do not response to insulin (insulin resistance), blood sugar remains high in the blood and subsequently caused health complications. Many who were over-weight or obese could develop resistance to insulin and diagnose with type 2 diabetes.

So how could colostrum able to benefit all 3 types of diabetic conditions? In the nutshell, colostrum contains ‘Low Molecular Weight Chromium-binding peptide’ and research shown it increases the receptors of insulin on the surface of the cells in the body. These receptors increase the uptake of insulin and therefore may reduce the sugar in the blood. This helps those with insulin resistance condition(type 2 diabetes), including pregnant women experiencing gestational diabetes.

Also found in colostrum is a type of peptide call ‘obestatin’. Research done so far on mice shown that this peptide could prevent the death of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas and also increases the beta cell population in the pancreas. It is well-known that colostrum contains immunomodulatory properties which could calm an over-active immune function. So as colostrum reduces the effect of the autoimmune effects destroying the beta cells in the pancreas, the ‘obestatin’ on the other hand, is helping to repopulated the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. This double action may be the reason why many people with type 2 diabetes noticed significant benefits to their diabetic condition after consuming Alpha Lipid Lifeline for a period of time.

However, please take note that Alpha Lipid Lifeline is not a medicine, and must not be used to replace diabetic medication. Diabetes can lead to many other serious complications and therefore medications must not be stopped unless the doctor said so. Though there were many testimonials showing the health benefits of those taking Alpha Lipid Lifeline, it is important to note that it is the nutrients in the product that may be helping it to overcome the health challenges.