Should you add colostrum to your daily diet?<\/p>\n
On social media, influencers add scoops of the powder to drinks. On podcasts, ads for the supplement tout it for a number of benefits: better immunity, improved gut health, weight loss, exercise recovery<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cColostrum has been one of the highest interest supplements over the past year,\u201d a spokesperson for GNC wrote in an email. In GNC\u2019s upcoming \u201cAnti Trend Report,\u201d colostrum supplements were highlighted as one of the biggest supplement trends<\/a> of the year.<\/p>\n Sometimes referred to as \u201cliquid gold<\/a>\u201d because of its honeylike appearance, or the \u201cstarter kit\u201d for infants, colostrum is a crucial part of newborns\u2019 development.<\/p>\n But what about adults? And what if that colostrum comes from a cow, not a human?<\/p>\n Here\u2019s everything you need to know about colostrum supplements, and if they\u2019re worth it.<\/p>\n What is colostrum?<\/p>\n Colostrum is an early form of breast milk that\u2019s produced right after giving birth.<\/p>\n It\u2019s meant to support newborns\u2019 development and contains essential nutrients<\/a> to kick-start their immune<\/a> system, support their gastrointestinal system and aid their overall growth<\/a>.<\/p>\n Compared to so-called mature milk, the kind of milk produced after colostrum, colostrum is higher<\/a> in protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and peptides. It\u2019s produced for about five days after birth.<\/p>\n Dr. Pieter Cohen, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and a general internist at Cambridge Health Alliance, said colostrum contains certain antibodies and compounds that are important for infant development.<\/p>\n \u201cColostrum contains a lot of things that are good for babies of the given species,\u201d he said. \u201cHuman babies will be exposed to things that can help, like immunoglobulins and other immune-boosting proteins in the colostrum. They\u2019re really good as the babies are developing their own immune system.\u201d<\/p>\n Other studies have demonstrated colostrum\u2019s importance for infants in gut microbiome formation<\/a> and reducing allergy risk<\/a>.<\/p>\n Colostrum supplements aren\u2019t made of human breast milk, however. The majority are made from cow\u2019s milk and sold as bovine colostrum<\/a>. Some colostrum supplements are made from goat\u2019s milk.<\/p>\n Why do people take colostrum and what does the research say?<\/p>\n There\u2019s a lot of interest in colostrum for help with inflammation<\/a>, particularly in athletes, said Daniel Fabricant, president and CEO of the Natural Products Association, a supplement industry trade group. He also cited gut health as a benefit.<\/p>\n (Fabricant added that colostrum supplements aren’t meant to cure, treat or mitigate disease. \u201cIt\u2019s always important to differentiate something that is a health and wellness product versus something that is curing, treating, mitigating disease,” he said.)<\/p>\n In a review paper published last year in the journal Frontiers in Immunology<\/a>, researchers said that many studies reported positive effects for athletes taking the supplement \u2014 including supporting muscle recovery, boosting immunity after intense exercise and healing from injuries \u2014 though they added that more research is needed. The review was funded by a dairy company.<\/p>\n Another review<\/a> saw improvements with gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea. The authors, however, wrote that there was \u201climited evidence\u201d on colostrum\u2019s effects on gut health, \u201cwith mixed findings.\u201d<\/p>\n Wesley McWhorter, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, said the research on colostrum supplementation is too early to make bold claims.<\/p>\n \u201cMost of this research, still very preliminary, it\u2019s early. There\u2019s not large-scale studies, so there\u2019s no strong evidence,\u201d McWhorter said. Still, he said he\u2019s interested in seeing where the research goes.<\/p>\n In many cases, studies are funded by companies that sell colostrum.<\/p>\n Richard Bloomer, dean of the College of Health Sciences and director of the Center for Nutraceutical and Dietary Supplement Research at the University of Memphis, said that each study\u2019s factors \u2014 the supplement\u2019s source, its dosage and who the subjects were \u2014 vary, which can affect results.<\/p>\n Cohen said he doesn\u2019t believe the research is extensive enough yet, and he doesn\u2019t recommend colostrum supplements.<\/p>\n He added supplements can vary by each manufacturer and brand, and quality assurance is lacking.<\/p>\n \u201cSo even if it were that there was one or two studies on a specific product, it doesn\u2019t mean that that product today is made the same way that the one that was studied,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Can you get the same benefits without colostrum?<\/p>\n The research on colostrum seems more promising for athletes, who have their sleep, diet and exercise \u201cdialed in,\u201d McWhorter said. But for the average person, he said, there are other ways to achieve the same benefits.<\/p>\n McWhorter recommended a \u201cfood first\u201d approach.<\/p>\n \u201cFocus on your diet first, your exercise second and dial in on the other pieces,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s really where you should spend your time, instead of on supplements. There is no magic pill right now.\u201d<\/p>\n Benefits like the ones promised by colostrum can be achieved through lifestyle changes, such as diet<\/a>, exercise<\/a> and regular sleep<\/a>.<\/p>\n Bloomer said consumers should evaluate what they\u2019re willing to spend their money on.<\/p>\n \u201cCould you justify an extra $2, $3, $5 a day to get a little bit of potential benefit? You might be better served by spending those $5 on a bunch of fruit and vegetables and try to enhance your immune function that way,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Should you add colostrum to your daily diet? 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