In 2000, Italian immunologist Claudio Franceschi introduced a concept that would reshape our understanding of aging: "inflammaging." The term describes the chronic, low-grade inflammation that develops with age and contributes to virtually every age-related disease—including the visible aging of skin.
This wasn't just academic theorizing. Franceschi and colleagues published research demonstrating that inflammatory markers increase steadily as we age, creating a persistent state of immune activation that damages tissues over time.
For skin, the implications are significant. And for colostrum—packed with anti-inflammatory compounds—the research opens intriguing possibilities.
The Inflammation-Aging Connection in Skin
Your skin exists in a constant battle between damage and repair. UV exposure, pollution, oxidative stress, and normal metabolic processes all create cellular damage. Under healthy conditions, inflammation temporarily increases to clear damaged cells, then subsides as repair occurs.
Inflammaging disrupts this balance. As we age, the "off switch" for inflammation becomes less reliable. Instead of acute, purposeful inflammatory responses that resolve, we develop chronic, low-level inflammation that never fully clears.
This chronic inflammation has direct effects on skin:
Collagen degradation accelerates. Inflammatory cytokines activate matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)—enzymes that break down collagen and elastin. Chronically elevated inflammation means chronically elevated MMP activity, steadily eroding the structural proteins that keep skin firm.
Cell renewal slows. Inflammatory signaling interferes with normal cell division and differentiation. Keratinocytes in chronically inflamed skin don't mature properly, leading to barrier dysfunction and rough texture.
Blood vessel function declines. Inflammation damages the endothelial cells lining blood vessels, reducing blood flow to skin and limiting nutrient delivery.
Immune function becomes dysregulated. The same inflammation that damages tissue also impairs the skin's ability to defend against infection and clear damaged cells.
Research published in Nature Reviews Endocrinology describes inflammaging as "a significant risk factor for morbidity and mortality" across virtually all age-related conditions. Skin aging is among the most visible manifestations.
Colostrum's Anti-Inflammatory Arsenal
Colostrum contains multiple compounds with documented anti-inflammatory activity. This isn't a single ingredient—it's a complex matrix of immunomodulatory factors that work together.
Lactoferrin is perhaps the most studied. A 2025 study in Cells specifically examined colostrum-derived lactoferrin's effects on skin fibroblasts and found it "reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1 and IL-6) and phosphorylated JNK in lipopolysaccharide-treated fibroblasts."
Phosphorylated JNK is a key inflammatory signaling pathway. When lactoferrin suppresses it, the downstream inflammatory cascade is interrupted.
Proline-rich polypeptides (PRPs) in colostrum help regulate immune responses. Research shows they can reduce excessive inflammation while maintaining necessary immune function—a balanced modulation rather than simple suppression.
Immunoglobulin A (IgA) calms local inflammation by neutralizing inflammatory triggers before they activate immune responses. In skin, this means less chronic irritation from environmental exposures.
Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) regulates the inflammatory-to-healing transition. Research published in the American Journal of Medicine demonstrated that TGF-β supplementation decreases mucosal and systemic inflammation in inflammatory conditions.
Extracellular vesicles from colostrum contain anti-inflammatory cytokines including IL-4 (which promotes anti-inflammation and extracellular matrix accumulation) and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), expressed in response to keratin damage.
Research on Colostrum's Anti-Inflammatory Effects in Skin
The 2022 study in Advanced Healthcare Materials examined colostrum-derived extracellular vesicles specifically and found they contained "various anti-inflammatory factors facilitating the transition from inflammation to proliferation phase."
This transition is crucial. Wounds—and aging skin—often get stuck in the inflammatory phase, unable to progress to productive healing. Colostrum EVs appear to help the immune system shift gears appropriately.
The sheep colostrum cream clinical trial found participants reported "less redness and hypersensitivity"—subjective observations consistent with reduced inflammation. Combined with objective measures like improved barrier function (reduced TEWL), the picture suggests inflammation was indeed reduced.
Laboratory studies on diabetic fibroblasts—cells that typically exist in a chronic inflammatory state due to "metabolic memory"—showed colostrum increased expression of anti-inflammatory genes (TSG-6) while decreasing expression of pro-inflammatory IL-6.
Why This Matters for Sensitive Skin
If you've ever felt like "my skin hates everything," chronic inflammation may be the underlying issue. When the inflammatory system is already activated, even gentle products can trigger additional inflammatory responses.
This creates a frustrating cycle: skin is irritated, you try new products hoping for relief, the products trigger more irritation, and the cycle continues.
Breaking this cycle requires calming the baseline inflammatory state, not just avoiding triggers. Products that actively reduce inflammation—rather than simply being "non-irritating"—may help restore skin to a state where it can tolerate normal care.
Colostrum's multi-compound anti-inflammatory approach offers something different from single-ingredient anti-inflammatory products. Instead of targeting one pathway, the natural matrix addresses multiple inflammatory mechanisms simultaneously.
The MSM Connection
Every Artisan The Goat product contains MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), an organic sulfur compound with documented anti-inflammatory properties. In our Colostrum Cream, MSM works alongside colostrum's native anti-inflammatory compounds.
The sulfur in MSM supports glutathione production—a master antioxidant that helps clear the oxidative stress driving much of chronic inflammation. By addressing both inflammatory pathways and oxidative stress, the combination may be more effective than either ingredient alone.
We include MSM in every formula because chronic inflammation underlies so many skin concerns our customers experience. Whether the goal is anti-aging, recovery from training, or simply calm, comfortable skin, reducing inflammation is foundational.
A Gentler Approach to Age Management
Traditional anti-aging skincare often relies on ingredients that cause inflammation—temporary inflammation intended to stimulate repair responses. Retinoids, chemical peels, and aggressive exfoliation all work partly through inflammatory mechanisms.
For young, resilient skin, this can be effective. The acute inflammation triggers repair, and the skin recovers stronger.
But for aging skin already dealing with inflammaging, adding more inflammatory insults may accelerate the problem. It's like treating dehydration with diuretics—addressing a symptom while worsening the underlying condition.
Colostrum offers a different approach. Instead of forcing repair through inflammation, it supports repair while reducing inflammation. The growth factors stimulate cell renewal; the anti-inflammatory compounds ensure the environment supports productive healing.
This isn't as dramatic as aggressive treatments. There's no peeling, no purging period, no "skin has to get worse before it gets better" phase. But for skin that can't tolerate inflammatory approaches—or for anyone who prefers to work with their skin rather than against it—anti-inflammatory repair support may be more effective long-term.
What We Know (and What We're Still Learning)
The science connecting inflammation to skin aging is well-established. Colostrum's anti-inflammatory compounds are well-characterized. Clinical research shows colostrum reduces inflammatory markers and improves skin measures.
What we're still learning is exactly how these effects occur topically, which compounds contribute most to which effects, and optimal formulations for different skin concerns.
Our Colostrum Cream represents our best current understanding: fresh colostrum from our Washington State farm, processed to preserve bioactive compounds, combined with MSM for additional anti-inflammatory support.
The research suggests this approach works. Our customers' experiences confirm it. The complete mechanistic picture continues to develop.
