Doctor Warns Colostrum Supplements May Not Deliver Promised Benefits

On 2025-11-11, a medical expert warned that individuals taking colostrum supplements should scrutinize the contents and claims made about their benefits. Dr. Rachel Woods, a lecturer in Physiology at Lincoln Medical School, suggests that people may be consuming these supplements with unrealistic expectations of their health effects.

Colostrum, the first form of breast milk produced during pregnancy and shortly after childbirth, is often referred to as 'liquid gold' due to its nutrient-rich composition. While it plays a crucial role in developing a newborn's immune and digestive systems, Dr. Woods cautions that the versions sold to adults may not live up to the hype.

She explains that "Babies and adults have very different nutritional needs," and that "what is essential for a baby is not automatically useful or necessary for an adult body." The colostrum-based supplements available on the market are often processed, flavored, and taken in much smaller amounts than what a newborn would receive.

Dr. Woods emphasizes that the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of these adult colostrum supplements remains limited and based on small studies, rather than large-scale trials involving healthy individuals. She also warns against misleading wellness marketing language, such as claims of "boosting" immunity or improving "full-body wellness," which lack precise medical meaning.

In conclusion, while colostrum is extraordinary for newborns, Dr. Woods states that "there is no strong evidence from large, well-designed trials that colostrum supplements improve skin, digestion or immunity in healthy adults."