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Animal part or source

Colostrum

Colostrum is the milk mammals produce shortly after birth. Supplements usually use bovine colostrum, collected from cows after calving.

Also listed as First Milk, Bovine colostrum

Gut HealthImmune SupportLongevityFitnessBone & Joint

A food with a changing composition

Colostrum has traditionally been consumed fresh or used in foods such as cheese; pasteurized drinks and dried supplements are also available. Compared with mature milk, it generally contains more protein and less lactose. The timing of collection and characteristics of the cow affect its composition, so a single nutrient value would not describe every product. 1

Colostrum, ordinary milk and whey powder are not interchangeable study interventions. In the older-adult trial, a whey-based product served as the comparator, making it possible to ask whether colostrum added something beyond another milk-derived supplement. 2

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