Think about a newborn baby—they need a lot of nutrition in the first few days of life. It’s when their immune system is adapting to a world outside the womb and their small bodies are gaining strength and size almost immediately. So, what if grown adults could benefit from the same kind of powerful nutrition that benefits newborn babies?
That’s the idea behind the latest health trend of supplemental colostrum. All lactating mammals naturally produce a type of milk called colostrum in the days after giving birth. It’s rich in protein, antioxidants, antibodies, and other compounds that a newborn baby needs. By taking supplemental colostrum made from cow milk, health-conscious consumers are seeking to benefit from these nutrients in a big way.
Because of these nutrients, colostrum was described in a June 2021 study in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers as compositionally distinct from mature milk and offering a “wealth of potentially bioactive molecules.” That’s important because the same benefits of these bioactive molecules might be beneficial beyond neonatal development, the study explains. They might actually be nutritionally beneficial throughout an entire lifespan, even after physical maturity.
This is an example of early research that supports the idea colostrum supplements could be beneficial for adults, but many health experts emphasize there’s still more support needed. As colostrum gains visibility in wellness circles, more research institutes, as well as government agencies like the National Institutes of Health, want to explore what the science says about the effectiveness and safety of colostrum (specifically, bovine colostrum) in adult humans.
Specifically, here’s what’s found in colostrum:
Protein: One of the three major macronutrients (the other two being fats and carbohydrates), this nutrient is known for building muscle in your body.
Essential fatty acids: These are fatty acids your body can’t produce by itself, and they aid in hormone production and the development of important systems, such as your nervous system.
Antibodies and immunoglobins: These help your body fight off infection and neutralize harmful bacteria and viruses.
Essential nutrients: Vitamin A, magnesium, copper, and zinc all aid in boosting essential bodily systems—your nervous system, cardiovascular system, and immune system. They also aid in growth and development at the cellular level.
What the Wellness Influencers Are Saying
The research may certainly be mixed, but plenty of people swear by colostrum. So, what should you expect if you decide to try it?
Most supplemental colostrum comes in the form of powder that you can mix into a drink or food, though there are pill/capsule options on the market. These supplements are made from bovine colostrum—in other words, cow’s milk—primarily because the nutritional needs of a calf and a human infant are similar, so bovine colostrum is nutritionally similar to human colostrum.
Because newborn mammals are physiologically vulnerable, these nutrients could help adults who have similar vulnerabilities. For example, if you suffer from Crohn’s disease or chronic diarrhea, the immunoglobins that strengthen a young digestive system could help strengthen your own digestive system and help you better absorb nutrients from food.
If your immune system is weakened by chemotherapy, the antibodies could help ward off infection. People who supplement with colostrum often claim they have:
- better digestive health
- a stronger immune system
- improved recovery from exercise
For these reasons, colostrum has become as embraced by athletes as it is by people with chronic illness. Intense physical activity over an extended period of time can reduce immune function, and some high-level athletes swear by colostrum to avoid getting sick during times of especially intense training. The growth factors in colostrum, which promote tissue repair and muscle growth, mean you could potentially see not only faster recovery but also enhanced muscle growth after recovery.
A Healthy Dose of Skepticism
Even with the early research indicating potential benefits, it’s important to remember that a colostrum supplement is exactly that: a supplement. As such, it’s not regulated by the Food & Drug Administration the way medicine is, and there’s no guarantee that it will fulfill any claims you read on the label.
Many variables could even affect the quality of the colostrum, including: How healthy is the cow that produced the colostrum? How long after the cow gave birth was the colostrum taken? What is the length of time between the cow’s pregnancies? What kind of environment does the cow live in and what kind of diet is it fed?
These and other factors can affect the quality of the colostrum and how dense in nutrients it is.
Plus, many people may not be a good fit for taking colostrum. It contains trace amounts of estrogen, and people who are sensitive to hormones—especially those battling cancer—may need to avoid even minimal estrogen. Somebody who is intolerant of dairy won’t tolerate colostrum very well, and even other digestive issues, which some consumers claim colostrum can help, will be exacerbated by large doses. And because colostrum boosts immune function, it could be detrimental to patients who are taking immunosuppressant drugs.
Your best solution?
MD Anderson Cancer Center suggests skipping colostrum supplements and focusing on a varied, nutrient-dense diet. When you get everything you need from vegetables, fruit, whole grains, dairy, and lean protein, you don’t need to worry about supplements. Plus, your body has a better ability to absorb nutrients from whole foods than it does from processed supplements.
If you’re inclined to follow the trend and see why many people swear by it, start by talking to your doctor to determine whether it’s safe. Look for a supplement that’s made from grass-fed cow’s milk and processed without high heat, which has the potential to denature the immunoglobins and reduce immunity-boosting effects. Powdered colostrum often has a higher bioavailability than colostrum in capsule form.
So even though supplemental colostrum might seem like the golden calf of health boosts and nutritional miracles, just remember that it’s never a bad idea to be a little bit skeptical about anything that seems too good to be true.
