Therapeutic Effects of Bovine Colostrum on Bone Healing, Rehabilitation, and Postoperative Complications: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blinded Comparative Trial.

Abstract

BACKGROUND Accelerated recovery from bone injuries is a paramount health-care goal with substantial impacts on physical status and overall well-being. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of colostrum supplementation on bone healing in patients with a traumatic extracapsular hip fracture (ECF). METHODS Patients with an ECF undergoing internal fixation were randomly assigned to receive either bovine colostrum or whey protein. Bone healing was assessed using the Radiographic Union Score for Hip (RUSH). Physical rehabilitation was evaluated using the Harris hip score (HHS) and the Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment (SMFA) within 3 months postoperatively. A generalized estimating equation (GEE) was used to assess the time-by-group interactions of these longitudinal variables. Patients were monitored for postoperative complications for 12 months, with the risk difference (RD) and risk ratio (RR) calculated. RESULTS A total of 116 patients with an ECF were included in the final analysis (colostrum group, n = 59; whey group, n = 57). Baseline characteristics, including age, gender, ethnicity, and body mass index, were similar between the groups (p > 0.05 for all). The colostrum group had a significantly greater increase in the RUSH score (β = 0.88; p = 0.001) and HHS (β = 1.2; p = 0.001) over time compared with the whey group. SMFA dysfunction and bother indices demonstrated significantly greater decreases over time in the colostrum group compared with the whey group (β = -1.2 and -2.4, respectively; p < 0.001 for both). CONCLUSIONS The present study provides preliminary evidence suggesting that colostrum may accelerate bone healing and enhance short-term physical rehabilitation outcomes more effectively than whey protein. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic Level I. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.