Should you add colostrum to your daily diet?
On social media, influencers are adding scoops of the powder to drinks. Podcast advertisements for the supplement tout a number of its benefits: improved immunity, improved gut health, weight loss, recovery after exercise.
“Colostrum has been one of the most popular supplements over the past year,” a GNC spokesperson wrote in an email. In GNC's upcoming Anti-Trend Report, colostrum supplementation was highlighted as one of the biggest complement trends year.
Sometimes called “liquid goldBecause of its honey-like appearance, or “starter kit” for babies, colostrum is an important part of newborn development.
What about adults? What if this colostrum comes from a cow and not from a person?
Here's everything you need to know about colostrum supplements and whether they're worth it.
What is colostrum?
Colostrum is an early form of breast milk that is produced immediately after birth.
It is designed to support newborn development and contains essential nutrients to give a boost to your immunity system, support their gastrointestinal system and help them overall growth.
Compared to the so-called mature milk, which is produced after colostrum, colostrum higher in proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and peptides. It is produced approximately five days after birth.
Dr. Peter Cohen, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and a physician at the Cambridge Medical Alliance, said colostrum contains certain antibodies and compounds that are important for a baby's development.
“Colostrum contains many beneficial substances for this species,” he said. “Human babies will be exposed to substances that can help, such as immunoglobulins and other immune-stimulating proteins in colostrum. These are really helpful as babies develop their own immune systems.”
Other studies have demonstrated the importance of colostrum for infants. formation of the intestinal microbiome And reducing the risk of allergies.
However, colostrum supplements are not made from human breast milk. Most are made from cow's milk and sold as bovine colostrum. Some colostrum supplements are made from goat's milk.
Why do people take colostrum and what does the research say?
There is great interest in colostrum for help with inflammation“Especially in athletes,” said Daniel Fabricant, president and CEO of the Natural Products Association, a trade group for the dietary supplement industry. He also cited gut health as beneficial.
(Fabricant added that colostrum supplements are not intended to treat or mitigate disease. “It is always important to distinguish what is a health and wellness product from what treats, cures and mitigates disease,” he said.)
In a review article published last year in the journal Frontiers in ImmunologyThe researchers said many studies have reported positive effects for athletes taking the supplement, including supporting muscle recovery, boosting immunity after intense training and healing from injuries, although they added that more research is needed. The review was funded by the dairy company.
Another review saw improvements in gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea. The authors, however, wrote that there is “limited data” on the effects of colostrum on gut health, “with mixed results.”
Wesley McWhorter, a registered dietitian and spokesman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, said research on colostrum supplements is too early to make bold claims.
“Most of this research, still very preliminary, is at an early stage. There are no large-scale studies, so there is no conclusive evidence,” McWhorter said. Still, he said he's interested to see where the research goes.
In many cases, research is funded by companies that sell colostrum.
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 factors in each study — the source of the supplement, its dosage and the participants — vary, which could affect the results.
Cohen said he doesn't think the research is extensive enough yet and he doesn't recommend taking colostrum supplements.
He added that supplements may vary by manufacturer and brand, and there is no guarantee of quality.
“So even if there have been one or two studies done on a particular product, that doesn't mean that product is produced today in the same way as the one that was studied,” he said.
Can you get the same benefits without colostrum?
The colostrum research seems more promising for athletes whose sleep, diet and exercise routines are “in tune,” McWhorter said. But for the average person, he says, there are other ways to achieve the same benefits.
McWhorter recommended a “food first” approach.
“Focus on your diet first, then exercise and do the rest,” he said. “And that's what you should be spending your time on, not on supplements. There's no magic pill right now.”
Benefits similar to those promised by colostrum can be achieved through lifestyle changes, such as: diet, exercise And regular sleep.
Bloomer said consumers need to evaluate what they're willing to spend their money on.
“Can you justify spending an extra $2, $3, $5 a day to get a little potential benefit? You might be better off if you spent that $5 on a bunch of fruits and vegetables and try to boost your immune function that way,” he said.
