Patty Clements
Impact Your Health
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Whitehall, MT  59759
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406-287-3906
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CLINICAL STUDY     SUMMARY & DISCUSSION     REFERENCES
       STUDY GROUP PROFILE

CLINICAL STUDY

THE USE OF DIALYZABLE BOVINE COLOSTRUM
EXTRACT IN CONJUNCTION WITH A HOLISTIC
TREATMENT MODEL FOR  NATURAL KILLER CELL
STIMULATION IN CHRONIC ILLNESS

The following study discusses, summarizes and demonstrates that properly bovine colostrum and whey extracts used in combination with the herb Astragalus will help produce significant increases in Natural killer (NK)  cell activity. NK cells are very important in human health and disease.  Defective or absent NK cell activity is associated with a spectrum of human  diseases. Matol Biomune OSF Plus tm, which combines the herb Astragalus with such an extract from Quantum Research, Inc. is shown to be a critical dietary supplement.

THE USE OF DIALYZABLE BOVINE COLOSTRUM EXTRACT IN CONJUNCTION WITH A HOLISTIC TREATMENT  MODEL FOR NATURAL KILLER CELL STIMULATION IN CHRONIC ILLNESS
By: Jesse A. Stoff, MD, MFHOM, FACLM

Abstract:
A longitudinal evaluation of the natural killer cell (NK activity) of peripheral blood lymphocytes was performed in 107 patients with documented and advanced chronic  illness and followed for an average period of 13.2 months. At the time of  primary evaluation and treatment, the absolute value of natural killer cell activity was significantly lower than the normal range. Hence, the association  of chronic illness with the syndrome of low natural killer cell activity.

During the follow-up period, a variety of nutritional agents were given to support natural killer  cell function and then dialyzable bovine colostrum extract was added to the  protocol. In the ensuing months, the curve of NK cell reactivation into normal  ranges and above was monitored as immune system competence was  restored.

The use of natural immunomodulators including the use of dialyzable bovine colostrum extract can be  concluded as a viable therapeuticum in NK cell reactivation in the face of chronic illness.

Clinical Study Summary and Discussion

The Participants:
Charts of 107  patients who presented with chronic illness which were known to include low NK  cell function were studied to determine their NK cell function response after  being treated with a complimentary medical regimen of therapy. This regimen included the use of dialyzable bovine colostrum/whey extracts as well as other  elements of the Holistic Medical Paradigm.

The patients all self-selected this medical approach and most came with specific  expectations, having read (1) Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Hidden Epidemic or,  (2) The Definitive Guide to Cancer Therapy.

An Overview of the Immune System:
The marvelous array  of deftly interacting cells that defend our body against invaders, arise from a few precursor cells that first appear at about 9 weeks after conception. From  that point on, the cells of the immune system go through a continuously repeated cycle of growth and development and become fully competent at around 6 months of  age after our birth.

The parent cells of  our immune system are referred to as stem cells. These are the cells upon which the immune system depends to both reproduce itself and gives rise to the many  specialized lineage's that spring from it; the B cells, macrophages, natural  killer (NK) cells, helper T cells, etc.

The cells of the immune system are not isolated in a single body space or arranged in the form of a single organ. Instead, the majority of them exist as potentially mobile entities unattached to other cells. This characteristic is crucial to their function. Every minute of every day, war is waged within our body. The combatants are too small to see. Some, like the infamous HIV virus, are so small  that 230 million would fit on the period at the end of this sentence. Yet, they  employ tactics that can vanquish the much larger cells upon which our immune  system is based. Usually, we never even notice the battles within us.

We have evolved  legions of defenders, specialized cells that silently destroy the unseen enemy.  Sometimes these warriors mistake harmless invaders such as pollen for deadly  foes and trigger an allergic response. Occasionally, some of our own cells begin the mutinous uncontrolled proliferation characteristic of cancer and manage to  evade the surveillance of our body's defensive forces. For every successful penetration of our defenses, millions of attempts are repelled. We sleep  securely at night trusting the invisible vigilantes of our immune system.

The science and  practice of immunology traces back to 1721 to Lady Mary Wortley Montagu. She introduced England to a Turkish process of inoculation with unmodified smallpox  virus in an attempt to stem the ravages of the normal course of the disease. Her techniques were quite crude and as many as her patients died as survived but those that survived were immune to the disease forever more.

Over the decades and centuries, scores of doctors and researchers honed the art of immunology into a more and more refined science. Many of the wonderful blood tests that we have today and information that we now know about immunology was unknown to us a  scant 20 years ago. Information on the science of immunology doubles at the rate  of approximately every 5 to 6 years. So, we must remember that the wonderful  ways that we have today to support and direct the immune system to help protect us and fight off illnesses is a mere foreshadow of things to come in the (near) future

Our immune system is a miracle of evolution. There is interesting research to suggest that elements  of our immune system were, at one time, actually independent organisms. They were incorporated into our body, millions and millions of years ago, as a type of symbiotic mutually beneficial relationship. Our immune system is not controlled by any central organ such as the relationship of our brain to our nervous system. Rather, it has developed and functions as a kind of biological democracy where the individual members achieve their ends through an information  network of biochemical substances called, "cytokines".

Many different variables in our environment and lifestyle can effect the efficiency of its  function. Our immune system accounts for approximately 1% of our body's 100 trillion cells. These defender cells originally arise in our bone marrow and  mature in other parts of our body, the thymus, spleen and lymph glands. The  different lineage's which develop all share one common objective; to identify  and destroy all substances, living or inert, that are recognized as foreign to our body. This includes cancer cells that challenge our immune system everyday for each and every one of us.

NK Cells:
NK cells were  discovered in the 1970's and constitute up to 15% of the total lymphocyte population in normal healthy subjects. They are capable of killing a broad range of tumor and virus infected cells. Depressed NK cell activity and depressed NK  cell populations are associated with the development and rapid progression of cancer, hepatitis, AIDS, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, various immunodeficiency syndromes, and certain autoimmune diseases. In my practice I almost exclusively work with people with severe and chronic diseases, that are known to present  abnormally low levels of NK cell function.

NK cells now appear  to present the first line of defense against metastatic spread of tumors. In  numerous studies, low NK cell populations were correlated with greater and more  rapid spread of tumors with shorter host longevity and with greater  morbidity.

The Immune Response:
There are Four Critical Phases to the immunological response and lifestyle issues and some  dietary supplements can influence them.

During Phase  One, the offending invader is identified and recognized as being foreign to our body and then quickly consumed by hungry roving macrophages. You can think  of macrophages as little PAC men that are found in all of the tissues in our body and circulating around in our blood stream looking for their next free lunch. They seize upon this foreign agent, engulf it, eat it and release a  series of cytokines that then trigger the 2nd phase of the immunological  reaction.

In Phase Two, these biochemical substances then activate the helper T cells that have  the job of coordinating the counterattack on a body-wide scale. The T cells then  begin to multiply and release other cytokines that further stimulate more T  cells, B cells, and natural killer cells. As the number of B cells increase, the helper T cells signal them to begin producing antibodies, thus, bringing us to  the 3rd stage of the immunological response.

In the Third Stage, the antibodies are circulating around in our blood stream and are attaching to the foreign virus or bacteria causing them to be more  quickly engulfed by macrophages or killed by natural killer cells.

The Fourth Stage of the immunological response begins when the circulating antibodies no longer have a target and the suppresser T cells call a truce to the  immunological reaction bringing about a new balance, or homeostasis, in our  system. Special cells of the immune system remember what had transpired so that  if again attacked by the same organism, our body could respond much faster. These cells also release special little molecules called, "transfer factor" to help keep the pump primed, so to speak.

Thus, what may have been a 10-day bout from our first exposure to that particular virus, in the  future may be a cold that lasts no more than 24-72 hours.

Immune-Modulation:
Immune-modulation is a new and key step in supporting immune function. This can include a number of different substances, depending upon the situation, including: transfer factor (obtained in specially prepared colostrum/whey extracts), Astragalus, Arabinogalactan, Viscum extracts, vitamin C, iodine, lactoferrin, certain amino  acids, neurotransmitter hormones and the prohormone DHEA.

Transfer Factor:

In the study group,  generic NK cell response was monitored using transfer factor, obtained in specially prepared colostrum/whey extracts, along with the herb Astragalus that  is known to accelerate and support immunological reactions. The transfer factor component was produced from cows that have been immunologically stimulated using  a patented process. This process does not hurt the cow. In fact, it stimulates  the cow’s immune system for its own protection.

When a cow gives birth to a calf, the first flow of milk is called the colostrum. The colostrum is collected and the transfer factor molecules are extracted. At appropriate  opportunities, collection can also occur from the milk following colostrum. This is generally referred to as whey. Since none of the milk proteins remain, these products are safe even for people with a dairy allergy. The purified transfer factor can then be given to people to passively stimulate their NK cells function to alert-activity status, thus protecting them to a significant degree  from illness as well as helping them recover from illness.

Lifestyle:
Lifestyle issues that  will affect the functioning of our immune system include exposure to toxins  (heavy metals, petrochemicals, radiation, etc.) and dietary and nutritional deficiencies that can rob the immune system of the biochemical foundation that it relies upon in order to function normally. Another major lifestyle issue relative to immune function is stress.

Dietary  Supplements used by the Study Group:
The use of other nutritional support factors in conjunction with the dialyzable colostrum/whey  extract and astragalus was important for patient recovery. However, I want to point out three significant factors in relation to that fact:

Most of the patients were advanced in their conditions and had tried other approaches for their health recovery before I saw them in my clinic.

The dialyzable colostrum/whey extract was critical to their recovery. Without that component,  providing the transfer factors discussed herein, many of the patients simply  would not have recovered.

I have utilized a  wide array of well-known and privately prepared colostrum products with  disappointing results. These products were not helpful to my patients as they failed to significantly increase NK cell function or consistently provide any  other significant immunological benefits that could be measured.

I also observed that people who were not severely compromised responded well to daily supplementation  of the colostrum/whey extract and astragalus without additional nutritional  supplementation. Even though adequate nutritional support is important it was noted that the extract of dialyzable colostrum/whey and astragalus is very powerful and valuable in combination without additional supplementation.

The Importance of  Prevention:
With any health  problem, it is much more prudent and efficient to prevent disease by maintaining a high level of immune function. Research has shown that low NK cell activity is  present nearly all illness. A daily dietary regimen that includes dialyzable  bovine colostrum/whey extract has been shown to significantly help maintain high NK cell activity and thereby dramatically increase the ability of the immune system to maintain a healthy condition.

Conclusions:
This Study Group demonstrates that stimulation of NK activity paralleled restored resistance to  illness and recovery from illness. NK cell activity is correlated with disease  status in those patients with hematologic malignancy such as leukemia and lymphomas as well. In some studies, on patients with leukemia, a sudden and maintained decrease in NK cell activity was reported nearly always to proceed relapse, even if the patient had been in complete remission for some time. This  also correlated with a general drop in the percentage of lymphocytes as measured  in a standard blood test. NK cell function is a well-regulated activity subject  to both inhibitory and excitatory control.

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REVIEW ARTICLE: 26 REFS.
Ann N Y Acad Sci 1993  Jun 23; 685: 362-8

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