Colostrum is the first milk made after giving birth, rich in biologically active compounds that support newborns. Bovine (cow) colostrum is sold as a supplement for immune support, fewer colds in athletes and gut health.
Also known as: bovine colostrum, cow colostrum, colostrum powder.
There is no intake value. A 2020 meta-analysis found no agreed approach to how much or how long athletes should take it (Główka 2020).
It is sold in the US as a dietary supplement. Under the 1994 dietary supplement law (DSHEA), FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are marketed, and the maker, not FDA, is responsible for safety and labeling.
What studies show: a 2021 review of 28 studies found that as a supplement it showed interesting effects on preventing upper respiratory illness in athletes, on immune response and on reducing gut permeability, but the studies were very mixed, results in children conflicted, and there is little evidence in older adults (Guberti 2021). A 2020 meta-analysis of 10 trials in 239 athletes and active adults found little or no effect on blood or saliva antibodies (IgA, IgG) or white cells, and said the mechanism behind fewer infections is unknown (Główka 2020).
The sources here do not describe side effects or drug interactions in detail.
We could not find a single published half-life or time to peak for bovine colostrum that applies to a supplement dose, so we do not list one. Colostrum is a mixture of many proteins and other compounds.
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