Colostrum

Milk allergy and stomach symptoms

Cow’s-milk allergy was an exclusion criterion in the student trial. That study cannot establish safety for people with this allergy. Colostrum also contains lactose, even though its content is generally lower than mature milk. 1 2

The clinical review lists nausea, gas, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort and skin rash among reported mild or moderate adverse effects. Small trials with limited follow-up cannot settle every safety question. 3

Study amounts are not a daily requirement

The student trial used 0.5–1.0 g per day, while the older-adult resistance-training trial used 60 g per day. Differences in product and population prevent turning that range into a universal recommended dose. The reviewed evidence does not establish an optimal amount for general adult wellness. 1 3

This page does not establish safety during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or compatibility with individual medicines.

An extra concern in tested sport

USADA warns that colostrum can contain IGF-1, a substance prohibited in sport. Although digestion is expected to break it down, the agency says there is no guarantee that an oral product cannot lead to a positive test. That warning matters independently of whether the supplement improves performance. 4

A supplement is not virus protection

Germany’s Verbraucherzentrale warns against colostrum claims of protection from coronavirus and notes that food supplements are not medicines. Evidence about general symptom days during training does not establish prevention of COVID-19. 5 6