Colostrum

Health Benefits

Colostrum has gained popularity among athletes due to its purported ability to burn fat, build muscle, and enhance athletic performance. Hyperimmune colostrum has also spurred interest among scientists who believe that it may be able to treat a wider range of medical conditions.

Gastrointestinal Problems

Colostrum may help prevent gastrointestinal problems caused by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). In a small studypublished in 2001, researchers found that colostrum helped protect against gastrointestinal damage caused by the long-term use of indomethacin (an NSAID typically used to treat osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis).

In 1991, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted hyperimmune colostrum a special “orphan drug status.” This is a classification that allows manufacturers to develop a drug without competition. The status was granted specifically for the treatment of chronic HIV-related diarrhea caused by the parasite Cryptosporidium.

To date, no such benefit has been found. There is, however, evidence that it may provide relief of idiopathic diarrhea (diarrhea of unknown origin) in people with advanced HIV infection as well as diarrhea caused by Escherichia coli(E. coli).

Athletic Performance

Several studies have suggested that colostrum supplements may improve exercise performance. In one study published in 2001, scientists prescribed a group of active men and women either colostrum or whey protein. During the eight-week study, each of the subjects participated in aerobic exercise and heavy resistance training at least three times per week.

Study results showed that members of the colostrum group had a significant increase in lean body mass, while members of the whey protein group had a significant increase in body weight.

In a 2009 review of studies on colostrum and exercise performance, investigators concluded that taking colostrum supplements may be most effective during periods of high-intensity training and recovery from high-intensity training.

Similar findings were published in 2014 in which older adults given colostrum supplements had greater lower-body muscle strength after eight weeks compared to a matched set of adults given a whey powder. Upper-body strength, muscle thickness, lean tissue mass, r bone mineral content was not affected.