Summary
Registered dietitian Mallory Page takes a critical look at the colostrum supplement trend, examining it through the lens of diet culture and the wellness industry. She explains what colostrum is — the first form of milk produced by mammals after giving birth — and walks through how supplemental colostrum is manufactured from bovine sources, collected within 24-48 hours of birth and processed into powder form. Rather than diving into the 5,000+ research studies on colostrum (which largely study its effects on newborns receiving fresh colostrum), Page focuses on the important nuances that supplement companies often leave out. She raises questions about whether processed supplemental colostrum delivers the same benefits as fresh colostrum to adult consumers, the sustainability and ethics of large-scale colostrum harvesting, the lack of long-term supplementation research, and the significant cost at roughly $100 per month for popular brands like ARMRA. She gives colostrum a 7.7 out of 10 on her diet culture rating scale, noting how it fits the pattern of trendy expensive supplements marketed through influencers who receive the product for free.
Key Points
- Colostrum is the first pre-milk produced by mammals after birth, rich in antibodies, proteins, vitamins, and minerals critical for newborn immune development
- Most of the 5,000+ research studies on colostrum examine its effects on newborns receiving fresh colostrum — not adult supplementation in processed powder form
- Supplemental colostrum undergoes filtration, pasteurization, and concentration that may alter its bioactive profile compared to fresh colostrum
- Some research shows supplemental colostrum benefits for immune support, gut health, and skin/hair/nails, but confounding variables and placebo effects are hard to rule out
- Ethical and sustainability questions arise around large-scale colostrum harvesting, including whether calves receive adequate colostrum first
- At $100/month for brands like ARMRA, colostrum is a significant expense that should be weighed against other accessible wellness investments
- The wellness industry cycles through trending supplements to drive revenue — colostrum fits this pattern alongside previous trends like Athletic Greens and sea moss
- Influencers promoting colostrum often receive it for free, creating a disconnect between their experience and the financial reality for average consumers
Key Moments
What colostrum actually is and how it works
Mallory explains that colostrum is the first form of milk produced by mammals immediately after giving birth, containing high concentrations of antibodies, proteins, vitamins, and minerals critical for newborn immune development and growth.
"when I found out what this is and how it works. So to explain a little bit about it to you guys, colostrum is the first form of milk that is produced by mammals, including humans and other animals. And it is done immediately after giving birth. It's nutrient-rich,"
Most colostrum research does not apply to adult supplementation
Page makes a critical distinction that most of the 5,000 colostrum studies examine its effects on newborn offspring receiving fresh colostrum — not processed supplements taken by adults, which is a fundamentally different use case.
"Even though all the research points to colostrum being beneficial, most of this research is done for the intended receiver of the colostrum and it is done on fresh colostrum."
Processing changes colostrum from its natural form
When colostrum is extracted, filtered, pasteurized, and dried into powder form, it goes through many steps that may alter its bioactive compounds. Certain components like casein are often removed, but these may serve important functions in the whole-food form.
"So in saying this, I'm not saying that this means that colostrum is not beneficial to anybody other than an offspring in a fresh form of colostrum, but I am saying that just because there's 5,000 research articles saying colostrum is beneficial doesn't mean that that spreads to every single person that uses colostrum, even that it's not intended for. Now, the second thing to keep in mind that ties to this is that when you extract something from its true form,"
Colostrum costs $100 per month and may not be worth it
At $100 for 30 servings from brands like ARMRA, colostrum is a significant investment. Given the uncertainty about what it does in an adult body in supplement form over extended periods, Page questions whether it is the best use of wellness spending.
"And the last and most important thing that to me is the real kicker of all of this is the price of colostrum. So the price obviously varies, but for this very famous brand Armra, it is $100 for a bottle of it or for a supplement container. And there's 30 servings in these bottles."
Colostrum fits the pattern of trendy wellness supplements
Page argues that colostrum follows the same cycle as Athletic Greens, sea moss, and chlorophyll — the wellness industry rotates trending expensive supplements to drive revenue, targeting higher-income consumers.
"Whenever we enter into a new year or even a new time of year, we get a new supplement."
