3 Major Health and Fitness Benefits of Colostrum Supplements

Colostrum is the milk-like substance mothers and other mammals secrete from their mammary glands during the first three to five days immediately following childbirth. More nutrient-dense than the breast milk produced following the weeks and months after initial birth, human colostrum is “rich in vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates, growth hormones, and digestive enzymes,” says ​​board-certified holistic health practitioner Karen Linardakis-Cooney B.C.H.H.P., C.N., a nutritionist with The Vitamin Shoppe. It’s also jam-packed with disease-fighting proteins, protective antioxidants, and immune-boosting antibodies and antimicrobials, she adds. Fed to newborns as soon as they’re birthed, colostrum has been shown to boost infant immunity, as well as support newborn growth and development.

In recent years, supplement companies have attempted to make the magic of colostrum available to people in other phases of life through bovine (cow) colostrum. “Human colostrum and bovine colostrum are actually very similar in their molecular makeup and nutritional composition,” says Cooney. As such, bovine colostrum supplements have a lot of promise, with early research suggesting it can support gut health, speed up recovery, and even reduce the symptoms of certain diseases. 

Since bovine supplements are made from the milky product released by cows within three days of them giving birth, the main group of individuals who should not experiment with bovine colostrum supplementation are those with dairy allergies, according to Linardakis-Cooney. Additionally, some of these supplements contain soy, and thus people with soy allergies should read the ingredient list carefully.