What’s a Colostrum Supplement? Explaining the Latest Supplement Fad

Grown Adults Are Taking Colostrum In the Name of Wellness

Collagen just found a new friend. Colostrum, aka “liquid gold,” is a nutrient-dense fluid produced by female mammals’ breasts in the first few days after birth. It provides offspring with nutrition until the mother’s regular milk comes in. Now, a growing list of supplements are hitting shelves containing colostrum from cows in pill and powder form that supposedly have health benefits for adult humans. But are these health perks just hype?

Here’s the deal. 

“The evidence supporting colostrum’s benefits for adults is less robust compared to that of newborns,” says Jordan Hill, RD, CSSD, a registered dietitian whose clients include athletes and postpartum women. Many human studies of cow colostrum intake focus exclusively on athletes, and the findings are inconclusive. 

But, there’s some research that shows potential colostrum benefits, including:

• Immune system support. Some evidence shows that it may prevent diarrhea, reduce respiratory illness, and increase levels of disease-fighting antibodies.

• Enhanced athletic performance. Athletes have been drawn to colostrum supplements (and drinking human breast milk) to supposedly “aid exercise performance and recovery,” says Lizzy Swick, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian who specializes in prenatal and postpartum nutrition.

• Gut health. Some studies show that colostrum may strengthen the lining of the gut, which helps you better absorb nutrients. 

To be clear, there are cons to consuming cow colostrum, too. Obviously, anyone with a dairy allergy can’t partake, and if it isn’t properly pasteurized, it could contain harmful bacteria like salmonella. Plus, it’s pricey: One 30-day supply can cost as much as $70.

Your move

If you’re still interested in taking colostrum supplements, Hill suggests looking for a brand with transparent sourcing about where the colostrum comes from, complete labeling indicating the ingredients and the amount of colostrum per serving, and that has received third-party testing. 

We asked you to vote on a question you’d like answered. The winner was:

How long should I use a new skincare product to know if it’s working?

FEATURED EXPERT:

Rhonda Quain Klein, MD

Board-certified dermatologist at Modern Dermatology

“On average, you’ll start to see [a] benefit after about 30 days, but full impact would be expected closer to three to four months after regular use. There are some skincare products that show an instant effect. One that comes to mind is hyaluronic acid, which will instantly hydrate and plump up the skin. 

“Products that work at a deeper, cellular level — retinols, antioxidants, peptides, serums overall – will take longer to show their result as they impact the skin cells working their way up to the surface. Products that work at the surface, however — AHAs, physical exfoliants, mineral SPFs, moisturizers — will typically show their benefit immediately, with increased benefit over time. It's the consistency of use and the skincare regimen that has the greatest impact on your skin long term.”

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. You can read the full story here.

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We feature buzzy books in the health and wellness space. This week, we read:  

“Random Acts of Medicine” by Anupam B. Jena, MD, PhD and Christopher Worsham, MD 

Author Credentials: Jena is a Harvard Medical School professor and an economist physician. Worsham is a critical care doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Table of Contents: The authors set out to answer seemingly unanswerable questions in medicine. Is there an “ideal” age to have a heart attack? Do US presidents really age faster while in office? These questions and others like them can't be ethically studied in typical clinical settings. So the authors turned to “natural experiments” to explore how unexpected events can impact your health and “expose the hidden forces in our health care that send two otherwise-similar people down very different paths of care, by chance alone,” the authors write.

Why We Bookmark’d It: If you think data is dry, think again. With humor and levity, Jena and Worsham demonstrate how hidden statistics are everywhere and how chance — where you live, the month you were born, or what you do for a living — impacts your health. And get ready to feel validated as the book illustrates just how much “our health care system is set up for patients to potentially fall victim to chance,” according to the authors in an interview. By the way, you don’t have to understand medical jargon to enjoy the book — the authors explain their research so that everyday health nerds like us can appreciate the results.

Catch up on your reading with our past Well Read book recs here. 

Here are today's recs for a life well-lived.

1. Products that'll relieve all your aches and pains.

Crick in your neck? Tension in your back? There's a fix (or two) for that.

2. Things that'll get you in a good headspace.

For when you're burned out, stressed out, or just can't. These little items can go a long way in making you feel more like yourself.

3. The neck serum you’ve been waiting for.

It’s natural for your neck skin to thin and lose its tightness over time. That’s where this roller comes in. Use it to hydrate and brighten.

"Brainspotting"

— An EMDR therapy technique that can stop an active panic attack. Pro-tip: It may be a useful tool at work.