Colostrum: Health Benefits
Learn the science-backed colostrum benefits for babies and adults, plus safety tips and FAQs. Clear, trusted guidance from top medical sources.
Written by Dr. Dhankecha Mayank Dineshbhai
Reviewed by Dr. Vasanthasree Nair MBBS
Last updated on 1st Dec, 2025
Introduction
If you’ve heard people rave about colostrum but aren’t sure what the fuss is about, you’re in the right place. Colostrum is the first milk produced by humans and other mammals in the first days after birth. It’s thick, golden, and packed with immune-supporting compounds. Understanding colostrum benefits can help new parents feel confident about early feeding, and it can also guide adults who are curious about bovine colostrum supplements. Below, you’ll find what science says, what’s still unknown, and how to use this information safely.
What Is Colostrum?
Colostrum is the nutrient- and antibody-rich first milk made in late pregnancy and during the first few days after delivery, before mature breast milk comes in. It’s often yellowish due to carotenoids and is produced in small amounts that are just right for a newborn’s tiny stomach.
Key components include:
- Antibodies (especially secretory IgA), which help coat and protect an infant’s gut and airways
- Lactoferrin, an iron-binding protein with antimicrobial properties
- Oligosaccharides (complex sugars) that feed beneficial gut bacteria
- Growth factors that help the gut mature
- Vitamins, minerals, and concentrated protein
Humans produce colostrum naturally. Bovine (cow) colostrum is also collected and sold as a dietary supplement for adults in powders or capsules.
Top Colostrum Benefits For Newborns
Colostrum is sometimes called “liquid gold” because it delivers outsized protection and nutrition in small volumes. Evidence-based colostrum benefits for infants include:
- Immune protection: High levels of antibodies and other immune factors help protect against infections while a baby’s own immune system is still developing.
- Gut readiness: Colostrum lines and supports the intestinal tract, helping it mature and function as a barrier.
- Helps pass the first stool: Colostrum has a gentle laxative effect, which helps babies pass meconium (their first stool). This may also help lower the risk of jaundice by moving bilirubin out of the body.
- Right-sized nutrition: It’s energy- and protein-dense in tiny amounts that match a newborn’s small stomach capacity in the first days of life.
- Microbiome support: Human milk sugars in colostrum encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut.
Public health organizations recommend starting breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth, ideally within the first hour, so babies receive colostrum early and often.
How Much and How Often Do Babies Need Colostrum?
Newborns need frequent feeds, often 8 to 12 times per 24 hours in the first days. Colostrum comes in small volumes that match a newborn’s needs. Early, frequent feeding helps stimulate milk production and keeps babies well-hydrated and protected. Skin-to-skin contact and responsive, on-demand feeding are encouraged.
When Breastfeeding or Latching is Difficult?
If a baby can’t latch right away or needs extra help:
- Ask for a lactation consultant or trained nurse to assist as soon as possible.
- Hand-express or pump to collect colostrum; it can be fed by spoon, cup, or syringe.
- Follow hospital guidance for safe storage and handling if you’re expressing colostrum.
- If supplementation is medically necessary, work with your care team on the best plan while continuing to stimulate milk production.
Consult a Top General Physician
Bovine Colostrum Benefits: What Research Says for Adults
Bovine colostrum is marketed for immune and gut support. What does the evidence suggest?
What Looks Promising But Not Definitive?
- Gut health and diarrhea: Some small studies suggest bovine colostrum may help reduce the risk or duration of infectious diarrhea, including traveler’s diarrhea, especially when the colostrum is “hyperimmune” (targeted against specific pathogens). Results vary by product and study design.
- Athletic gut stress: Limited research in athletes shows potential benefits for reducing exercise-related gut permeability (“leaky gut”) and possibly shortening days of upper respiratory symptoms. Findings are mixed and not universal.
What To Keep In Mind?
- Not a cure-all: Bovine colostrum is not a proven treatment for specific diseases. It should not replace vaccines, antibiotics when needed, or other medical care.
- Variable products: Supplements differ widely in processing and active components (like IgG content), which may affect results.
- Digestion matters: Many proteins in the colostrum are broken down in the gut. Some bioactive pieces may still play a role, but how much they reach target sites can vary.
Bottom line: There is suggestive, early evidence for certain uses (gut support and some infection-related outcomes in specific groups), but larger, high-quality trials are needed. If you choose to try a supplement, pick a reputable product and talk to your healthcare professional, especially if you have health conditions or take medications.
Safety, Side Effects, And Who Should Avoid Bovine Colostrum
While bovine colostrum is generally well-tolerated, specific precautions and conditions warrant consulting a healthcare professional before use:
- Dairy allergy: Avoid bovine colostrum if you’re allergic to cow’s milk proteins.
- Lactose intolerance: Colostrum has less lactose than mature milk, but it still contains lactose.
- Some people may experience gas, bloating, or diarrhea.
- Immune status: People who are immunocompromised or have severe illnesses should consult their medical team before using any animal-derived supplement.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Safety data are limited for bovine colostrum supplements in pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Seek personalized medical advice.
- Quality concerns: Avoid raw or unpasteurized colostrum products due to infection risk. Choose third-party tested supplements (for example, USP, NSF, or ISO-accredited labs) to reduce contamination or mislabeling risk.
- Medication interactions: There are no well-established drug interactions, but always review supplements with your clinician.
How To Choose A Colostrum Supplement?
Selecting a high-quality bovine colostrum supplement requires careful attention to sourcing, processing, and testing to ensure you are getting a safe and potent product:
- Source transparency: Look for companies that identify the source (bovine), processing (low heat, pasteurised), and farm standards.
- Standardization: Products that report IgG percentage or other markers of potency offer more clarity.
- Third-party testing: Choose brands tested for purity and potency by reputable labs (USP, NSF, Informed Choice, or ISO-accredited).
- Realistic claims: Avoid products that claim to “cure” specific diseases or replace medical treatments.
- Directions and dosing: There is no universal dose. Follow label instructions and your clinician’s guidance.
- Storage and handling: Keep in a cool, dry place as directed.
Practical Tips To Maximise Colostrum Benefits For Babies
To ensure your baby receives the full nutritional and immunological advantages of colostrum (the "first milk"), follow these practical steps right after birth:
- Start early: Aim for the first breastfeed within the first hour after birth if possible.
- Feed often: Offer the breast frequently, day and night. Watch your baby’s hunger cues.
- Skin-to-skin: Keep the baby skin-to-skin to support feeding, temperature control, and bonding.
- Get help early: If latching is painful or the baby seems sleepy or frustrated, ask for lactation support right away.
- Monitor hydration: Wet and dirty diapers increase over the first few days; ask your care team what’s typical and when to seek help.
- Rooming-in: Keeping your baby with you helps you respond to feeding cues promptly.
Myths And Facts
Colostrum, often called "liquid gold," is the first milk produced by the mother and is specifically designed to meet the newborn's initial needs. Dispelling myths about it is vital for new parents:
- Myth: Colostrum is “too little” to feed a newborn.
Fact: Colostrum is concentrated, and small amounts meet a newborn’s needs in the first days. - Myth: Yellow colostrum means something is wrong.
Fact: The golden color is normal and reflects nutrients like carotenoids. - Myth: Formula and colostrum are interchangeable.
Fact: Formula can be necessary in some situations, but it does not replicate the full range of antibodies and bioactive factors in human colostrum. - Myth: If milk hasn’t “come in,” there’s no food for the baby.
Fact: Colostrum is present before mature milk and is exactly what babies need early on.
When To Seek Medical Advice?
It is crucial to know when to seek professional medical advice regarding feeding and health, particularly for infants and for adults considering new supplements.
Infants
- Fewer wet or dirty diapers than expected
- Signs of dehydration (such as very dry mouth or lethargy)
- Persistent jaundice or poor feeding
- Significant weight loss beyond what your care team has advised is typical
Adults Considering Supplements
- Ongoing digestive symptoms, weight loss, fever, or blood in stool
- Chronic conditions (especially immune disorders) or complex medication regimens
- Need for personalised guidance on whether bovine colostrum is appropriate
Consult a Top General Physician
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Consult a Top General Physician
Dr. Rajib Ghose
General Physician/ Internal Medicine Specialist
25 Years • MBBS
East Midnapore
VIVEKANANDA SEBA SADAN, East Midnapore
Dr. Tapabrata Ray
General Physician/ Internal Medicine Specialist
4 Years • MBBS,DGM,CPMeC,ACMDC
Kolkata
MCR SUPER SPECIALITY POLY CLINIC & PATHOLOGY, Kolkata
Dr. Pinaki Mukhopadhyay
General Physician/ Internal Medicine Specialist
32 Years • MBBS
Kolkata
MCR SUPER SPECIALITY POLY CLINIC & PATHOLOGY, Kolkata
(25+ Patients)
Dr. Deepti Verma
General Physician/ Internal Medicine Specialist
8 Years • MBBS
Kolkata
Dr. Deepti Verma's Clinic, Kolkata
(125+ Patients)
Dr. Divyashree K
General Physician/ Internal Medicine Specialist
5 Years • MBBS
Bengaluru
Apollo Clinic, JP nagar, Bengaluru
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Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is colostrum?
Colostrum is the first milk produced in late pregnancy and the first few days after birth. It’s rich in antibodies and growth factors that help protect and nourish newborns.
How long does colostrum last before mature milk comes in?
Most parents produce colostrum for the first few days after birth. Mature milk typically increases around day 3 to 5, though timing varies.
Can lactose-intolerant adults take bovine colostrum?
Some can tolerate it because it tends to have less lactose than mature milk, but it still contains lactose. If you’re sensitive, start low, monitor symptoms, or avoid it. People with milk protein allergy should not take it.
Is colostrum safe during pregnancy?
Human colostrum production is normal in pregnancy. As for bovine colostrum supplements, safety data in pregnancy and while breastfeeding are limited. Discuss with your obstetric provider before using any supplement.
Does colostrum prevent or cure illnesses like the flu or COVID-19?
No. Colostrum (human or bovine) is not a cure or substitute for vaccines, antiviral medications, or standard medical care. Follow evidence-based prevention and treatment guidance from health authorities.