Qualitative and quantitative comparison of hormone contents between bovine and human colostrums

Colostrums collected from five Holstein cows and eight women were analysed for their hormone content using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Among the 50 tested hormones, 7 hormones were detected in both bovine and human colostrums. The profiling pattern of the hormone content was different among bovine colostrums and human colostrums, but individual hormones did not significantly change within the same individual from the first day to the third day of lactation, except progesterone in bovine colostrum. Cortisone, testosterone and androstenedione concentrations were significantly lower in bovine colostrum than in human colostrum (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences observed in other hormonal concentrations between bovine and human colostrums. No hormone in bovine colostrum was qualitatively in excess to that in humans.