Key Takeaways
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Colostrum powder benefits come mainly from IgG. Colostrum is a natural source of immunoglobulins, especially IgG, which is part of the body’s natural defenses, and it is recommended for children through adults, though not for newborns.
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Check the IgG content, not just the word “colostrum” on the label. Many colostrum protein products contain only a small percentage of colostrum, so it is worth calculating the IgG per serving; based on breastfeeding data, a daily intake of about 300 to 1,000 mg of IgG is a sensible target for children old enough to attend daycare.
- YoungLong Premium Colostrum 2000 provides 664 mg of IgG per stick. It combines 2,000 mg of premium U.S. colostrum with 33.2% IgG, a yogurt flavor with no fishy aftertaste, and melamine-free testing, all in one 3 g stick a day.
Hello, this is YoungLong, a brand created by a pharmacist.
Today, we will be discussing colostrum powder benefits, including the colostrum protein powders that have become widely available.
To be honest, I was not able to breastfeed for very long.
I fully agree that breast milk is important for a baby’s health.
In fact, one study compared immune component levels in colostrum-fed and formula-fed infants and found that shortly after birth, the immune components (IgG, IgA, and IgM) of colostrum-fed infants were significantly higher than those of formula-fed infants.
Ideally, every baby would receive plenty of breast milk, but circumstances do not always allow it.
This led me to wonder whether my baby might be more vulnerable later on, or whether my baby’s immune system might be weaker than that of other children, and I naturally became interested in colostrum.
Is Colostrum Truly Beneficial?
In this article, we will walk through the benefits of colostrum and the criteria for choosing the right product, one step at a time.
Table of Contents
- Why Colostrum Became Popular on Home Shopping Channels
- Is It Okay to Take Cow Colostrum?
- The Key Components of Colostrum
- How Much Colostrum Should You Take?
- Why Is There So Little Colostrum in Colostrum Protein Products?
1. Why Colostrum Became Popular on Home Shopping Channels
Since the pandemic, interest in immune health has not been a passing trend; it has continued for several years.
This is because many people still frequently feel run-down due to seasonal changes and other everyday factors.
As a result, the importance of maintaining one’s own immune health year-round has become widely recognized, and the related market continues to grow.
In fact, products focused on immune support appear regularly on major health programs and home shopping channels.
One such product is “colostrum protein.”
These products emphasize the strengths of colostrum, claiming that because protein intake tends to decline with age, colostrum protein can help support both immune health and protein intake. But does it actually help?
However, after closely reviewing the product labels, I was once again disappointed.
We will cover the details in the product analysis below.
Why Is Colostrum Beneficial for Immune Health?
Why are adults, as well as children, seeking out colostrum?
Colostrum is a rich, thick milk that all mammals, including humans and cows, produce for only a few days after giving birth.
Human colostrum is produced in small amounts for about 3 to 5 days after birth, and colostrum is packed with “immunoglobulins,” antibodies that are part of the body’s natural defenses.
In other words, it is a concentrated source of immune components.
There are few ways to obtain immune components this directly.
Colostrum is also rich in growth factors involved in the development of bones and muscles, and it contains lysozyme, lactoferrin, and cytokines, which are also part of the body’s natural defense system.
Newborns have difficulty fighting off the germs they encounter for the first time.
Until infants develop their own immune defenses, the immune components passed from mother to baby through breast milk help protect them.
Because human colostrum cannot be sold as a product, cow colostrum has become the alternative for people who are concerned about their immune health.
Cow colostrum is the most widely used and studied alternative to human colostrum.
This is because it is rich in the “antibody” IgG, which is part of the body’s natural defenses.
Compared with regular milk, colostrum is clearly far richer in immune components.
2. Is It Okay to Take Colostrum?
To begin with the conclusion: colostrum is recommended for children through adults. However, it is not recommended for newborns.
Unlike ingredients such as zinc or ginseng, which support immune health in other ways, colostrum is one of the few foods that provide immunoglobulins (such as IgG) directly.
Because it is richer and more nutrient-dense than regular milk, colostrum is a valuable health food for both children and adults.
There is no particular reason to avoid it.
That said, colostrum is not recommended for newborns.
Although some infant formulas and products contain colostrum, if you choose to introduce it to your baby, we recommend waiting until at least 6 months of age.
While cow colostrum shares some similarities with human colostrum, the two are not identical.
A newborn’s digestive system is still developing and can be sensitive to even minor changes.
In addition, the safety of colostrum for newborns has not been established.
We understand that not being able to breastfeed as long as you had hoped can be difficult, but for most children, we recommend introducing colostrum at around 2 to 3 years of age.
In my own family, I began giving my children colostrum once they were older, around the time they started daycare.
This is often when children begin to feel run-down more frequently.
Colostrum is not only for children; it can also support immune health in adults.
I recommended colostrum to my father, who tends to feel run-down easily, and he has continued to take it since then.
He is also satisfied with it.
3. The Key Components of Colostrum
Because colostrum is concentrated, it is far richer in nutrients than regular milk.
Growth factors are also important for growth, but the most important component of colostrum is immunoglobulin, particularly “IgG.”
Below, we will focus on IgG specifically, rather than on colostrum as a whole.
Babies begin producing more of their own immune components at around 5 to 6 months of age.
Two immune components are especially important for a child’s immune system.
They are IgA and IgG
What Are IgA and IgG?
IgA is passed to the newborn through breast milk and moves to the lining of the baby’s digestive tract, where it helps defend against germs entering through the mouth until the baby can produce its own antibodies.
IgG is a major immune component in the blood and helps protect the body’s internal tissues.
Right after birth, a baby’s immune system is maintained by IgG received from the mother.
The component to focus on in the cow colostrum we consume is this very IgG.
First, let us look at the role IgG plays in the human body.
IgG binds to pathogens such as viruses and bacteria, helping to protect the body’s tissues and cells.
When IgG binds to pathogens, they clump together and settle, and immune cells called macrophages then remove them.
IgG can also bind to toxins and neutralize them.
The common “antibodies” we often hear about are, in fact, IgG.
A reduced ability to produce antibodies means the body is far less able to defend itself.
The explanation above describes the role of IgG in the human body, not in colostrum.
Now, let us return to colostrum.
Cow colostrum contains more than 100 times as much IgG as human colostrum.
Structurally, human IgG is naturally more compatible with the human body, but IgG from cow colostrum is the recommended next-best option.
When it comes to IgG alone, cow colostrum contains far more than human colostrum.
This is because humans pass IgG to their babies through the placenta, while cows do not; instead, cows pass IgG to their calves entirely through colostrum, which is why its IgG content is so high.
Therefore, if you are looking to supplement with IgG, cow colostrum can be a good choice.
Note: More research is needed to understand how well ingested IgG is absorbed and whether it works exactly the same way as human IgG. However, based on the findings to date, supplementing with cow colostrum can be an excellent alternative.
The Key to Colostrum Is Its IgG Content
If you are turning to colostrum because you are concerned about your health, the most important point when choosing a product is how much IgG the cow colostrum product contains.
You can check a product’s IgG content in the certificate of analysis (CoA) for its raw ingredient, which is often available on the product page.
The information above was taken from the retailer’s product page for Product A, a 100% colostrum powder.
Product A contains 2,000 mg per stick and is 100% colostrum, so the amount of colostrum per serving is 2,000 mg.
Since the certificate of analysis lists an IgG content of 12.92%, the IgG content per stick is 258.4 mg.
Below, we will directly compare the IgG content of several popular colostrum products.
Before comparing products, however, there is an important question to answer: how much colostrum and IgG should you actually take?
Let us take a look at what amount is appropriate.
4. How Much Colostrum Should You Take?
Unfortunately, there is no official guideline on exactly how much colostrum a person should take.
This is similar to how there is no official limit on how much milk a person should drink.
Still, after researching how much colostrum to take, I concluded that an amount of IgG similar to the minimum a baby takes in should be well tolerated by the body.
However, it is not yet clear how much IgG is needed to see an effect.
Because I trust the sophisticated systems that nature has created, I believe that supplementing IgG at the level found in breast milk is a sensible and gentle approach.
The information below is based solely on IgG content and reflects my personal opinion, so it is not definitive; please use it for reference only.
IgG levels in the body can be a concern if they are either too low or too high.
Low levels may mean the immune system is not working as well as it should, while very high levels are more likely to mean the body is already responding to something.
A 3 kg (about 6.6 lb) baby has roughly 240 ml of blood, so the total amount of IgG in the baby’s body is estimated to be about 1,068 to 2,374 mg.
For information on how much IgG a person takes in from outside the body, the only available reference was breastfeeding data, since, realistically, there is no other way for IgG to be taken in naturally.
The IgG concentration in breast milk is reported to be about 13.7 to 53.7 mg/dL.
Knowing how much breast milk a baby drinks, we can then estimate the amount of IgG the baby takes in.
Assuming a baby drinks 1,000 ml of breast milk per day, the total amount of IgG the baby takes in each day is:
13.7–53.7 mg/100 ml × 1,000 ml = 137–537 mg
In other words, a baby receives about 137 to 537 mg of IgG from breast milk each day.
If you were not able to breastfeed your child as much as you had hoped, it is natural for that to stay on your mind.
Many mothers feel guilty, as if it is their fault whenever their child seems even a little less healthy.
If you are worried that your child’s immune health may not be as strong as that of other children, you might consider supplementing with at least the amount of IgG a baby would receive from breast milk.
Of course, the IgG intake above is based on the amount consumed by infants under 6 months of age, so children old enough to attend daycare may take slightly more.
By the time children are 3 to 4 years old and attending daycare, their body weight and blood volume have roughly doubled since infancy.
For that reason, I plan to give my child 300 to 1,000 mg of IgG, about twice the amount of IgG found in breast milk.
5. Why Is There So Little Colostrum in Colostrum Protein Products?
If you have decided that supplementing with colostrum may be worthwhile for your child or your family, it is now time to choose a product.
I also searched for “colostrum” and carefully reviewed products that my child could take later and products that my father could take now.
To my surprise, although these products were called colostrum protein, they contained only 1 to 5% colostrum.
Colostrum made up a mere 1 to 5% of the product, while the remaining 90% or more was whey protein or soy protein.
Why is this called colostrum protein?
It made me wonder whether these products should instead be called “protein with a small amount of colostrum added."
Well-known YouTubers have also raised this issue recently, as shown below.
Many YouTubers have pointed out that the colostrum content in colostrum protein products on the market is far too low.
With that in mind, let us calculate for ourselves how much colostrum these products actually contain and how much IgG they provide.
I selected products mainly based on their Amazon search ranking for “colostrum,” chose only one representative product from each group of similar products, and added a few products with distinctive features.
Of course, each product has its own unique features.
Some products contain only a small amount of colostrum and focus mainly on plant protein, while others are designed to provide well-rounded nutrition.
I am by no means suggesting that any one product is better than another.
For this reason, a simple comparison is difficult; however, because my goal is to obtain IgG from colostrum for immune support, I evaluated products mainly by their IgG content and price.
My goal was to find a product that provides about 300 to 1,000 mg of IgG for my daughter.
1) Brand A
- Total per serving: 30 g
- Colostrum per serving: 286.5 mg (0.955%)
- IgG content: Not disclosed
- $56.79 for a 20-day supply
Brand A is a popular protein-blend product that is widely sold.
Although it is popular, its colostrum content is very low, and because it does not disclose its IgG content, there is no way to know how much IgG it provides.
At $2.84 per day, the price is also on the high side.
With a colostrum content of less than 1%, it is difficult to call this product colostrum protein, so it may be better suited for people who are mainly looking for a regular protein supplement.
Although the exact amounts are unclear, it contains a good mix of vitamins and minerals and even includes digestive enzymes, so it seems better suited as an all-around nutritional supplement for older parents than for children.
2) Brand B
- Total per serving: 34 g (one tub: 240 g)
- Colostrum per serving: 850 mg (2.5%)
- IgG content: 198 mg (850 mg × 23.3%)
- $17.86 for a 7-day supply
Most colostrum protein products are similar to the one above.
Products that come in a tub and are scooped out by the heaping spoonful make up a well-known category with strong sales.
From that category, I chose one of the best-selling products as a representative example.
Its colostrum content is 2.5%, which is higher than that of Brand A, but it raises the question of whether this product, too, should simply be called protein rather than colostrum protein.
Like Brand A, it may work best as an all-around nutritional supplement for older adults.
Because the serving size is large, the amounts of colostrum and IgG are reasonable, but the price deserves a closer look.
At $17.86 per tub, the price may not seem high, but because each serving is a substantial 34 g, one tub (240 g) lasts only about 7 days.
Paying about $2.55 per day for a product that contains 2.5% colostrum along with other proteins is something to weigh carefully before purchasing.
3) Brand C
- Total per serving: 15 g
- Colostrum per serving: 1,000 mg (6.67%)
- IgG content: 200 mg (1,000 mg × 20%)
- $19.29 for a 10-day supply
This product comes from a company that markets colostrum protein for children.
The serving size and price are reasonable, but since I was looking for about twice the amount of IgG found in breast milk (300 to 1,000 mg), 200 mg of IgG fell slightly short of my goal.
One tub provides a 10-day supply, so at $1.93 per day, the price also feels somewhat high.
Because it contains protein, vitamins, vegetables, and more, it may be worth considering for picky eaters who do not get enough protein.
For now, I am evaluating products by the amount of “IgG in the colostrum,” so let us look at the remaining products.
4) Brand D
- Total per serving: 3 g
- Colostrum per serving: 1,200 mg (40%)
- IgG content: 240 to 300 mg (1,200 mg × 20 to 25%)
- $46.43 for a 2-month supply
To my knowledge, this company was selling colostrum supplements even before colostrum protein became popular.
Its colostrum content is high at 40%, and the price is reasonable.
Its IgG content is also higher than that of the products above.
However, it is a chewable tablet, and much of the remaining 60% of its ingredients consists of sweeteners such as glucose, along with added synthetic excipients, so parents who are particular about these ingredients may prefer to avoid it.
To be clear, synthetic excipients are not harmful in themselves; whether to avoid them is simply a matter of personal preference.
5) Brand E
- Total per serving: 2 g
- Colostrum per serving: 2,000 mg (100%)
- IgG content: 258 mg (2,000 mg × 12.92%)
- $11.36 for a 30-day supply
The product above is a 100% colostrum powder product.
Because it is 100% colostrum powder, it contains a large amount of colostrum, 2,000 mg per stick; however, it uses a raw material with a relatively low IgG content (12.92%), so its IgG content is not very high, at 258 mg.
My only regret is that its IgG content is not a little higher.
That said, its low price is a clear advantage.
Because it is a 100% colostrum product and inexpensive, I purchased it and tried it myself.
However, after tasting it, I understood why 100% colostrum powders are not more common on the market.
The powder has a bland, milky taste that may seem slightly fishy to sensitive palates, and once it is in your mouth, it sticks like flour and does not wash away easily.
In addition, it did not dissolve well in water.
For these reasons, a 100% colostrum powder may not be the easiest option for children.
How We Made YoungLong Premium Colostrum 2000
That is when we at YoungLong asked ourselves a question: what if we made our own colostrum that everyone, from young children to older adults, could enjoy?
Drawing on what we learned from the products introduced above, we created YoungLong’s own colostrum.
YoungLong Premium Colostrum 2000 is a powder product that provides 2,000 mg of premium U.S. colostrum in each 3 g stick.
It contains the same amount of colostrum as the 100% colostrum powder above, but because we use a raw material with more than twice the IgG content, it provides 664 mg of IgG per stick, the highest among the products compared in this article.
With 33.2% IgG, our colostrum is among the highest-IgG colostrum ingredients available.
At 664 mg of IgG per day, it falls well within the 300 to 1,000 mg range discussed earlier in this article.
It is also melamine-free tested, so you can choose it with greater confidence.
It has a yogurt flavor with no fishy aftertaste, which makes it easy for children to enjoy, and I plan to give it to my own daughter as she grows.
However, for older adults who want additional protein along with colostrum, a protein-focused product may be a better fit.
Even so, my father, who could not take the 100% colostrum product, says this one tastes quite good.
Reference
*This content has not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
