Health
Colostrum supplements are all the rage, but are the potential benefits worth the risks?
Colostrum might not be just for babies anymore. It’s also available in pill or powder form as a nutrient-boosting supplement that’s generating buzz on social media.
New mothers produce colostrum in liquid form after giving birth.
The fluid is packed with protein, nutrients and antioxidants to help boost babies’ immunity.
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The supplement version — called bovine colostrum — is derived from the milk produced by cows in the initial days after giving birth.
Fox News Digital spoke with nutrition experts to find out whether colostrum supplements live up to the hype — and whether they pose any risks.
Nutrition experts spoke with Fox News Digital about the risks and benefits of colostrum supplements. (iStock)
Potential benefits and limitations
Some studies have shown potential benefits of using bovine colostrum supplements, according to Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian.
Those include preventing and shortening the duration of diarrhea, helping to prevent upper airway infections, and supporting a healthy immune system.
Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian, said colostrum supplements could have some benefits, but the evidence is “not definitive.” (Erin Palinski-Wade)
“These studies are small, however, and the evidence is not definitive,” Palinski-Wade told Fox News Digital.
“More research is needed to fully understand the health effects of bovine colostrum supplements.”
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Sherry Coleman Collins, a food allergy dietician and expert in the Atlanta metropolitan area, agreed that the evidence for human supplementation with bovine colostrum is “extremely limited.”
Collins told Fox News Digital, “There is not enough evidence for me to recommend it for anyone for any reason.”
Bovine colostrum supplements are derived from the milk produced by cows in the initial days after they give birth. (iStock)
“We know that human colostrum is very beneficial for babies, providing specific nutritional value and immunological benefit through transferring some of mother’s immunity to baby,” she told Fox News Digital.
“However, we do not have enough evidence about bovine colostrum in humans to make any real statements about its impact on human health,” said Collins.
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The dietitian also noted that the processing of milk impacts its nutrition and would likely reduce some immunity benefits.
Michelle Routhenstein, a New York City-based registered dietitian nutritionist who specializes in heart disease, said she does not recommend bovine colostrum supplements, “due to limited scientific evidence on their efficacy and potential variability in product quality.”
Risks involved with bovine colostrum
“These supplements are generally considered safe for healthy adults using them for a short duration, but there are still risks to consider,” said Palinski-Wade.
Individuals with dairy allergies or lactose intolerance should avoid bovine colostrum supplements, the dietitian said.
“Bovine colostrum contains estrogen, which may negatively impact individuals at risk for certain cancers, such as breast, ovarian or prostate cancer,” she said.
Colostrum supplements are available in pill or powder form. (iStock)
People with a history or risk of these cancers should speak to a doctor before taking these supplements, Palinski-Wade advised.
“These supplements also have not been tested on women who are pregnant or lactating and should be avoided in this population unless cleared by their physician,” she said.
Other potential risks include contamination by harmful bacteria, interactions with medications and unknown long-term effects, according to Routhenstein.
Safety tips
For those who decide to try the supplements, experts emphasized the importance of choosing a reputable seller.
“When purchasing bovine colostrum supplements, it’s important to choose reputable brands and sources to ensure quality and safety,” said Routhenstein.
“Bovine colostrum contains estrogen, which may negatively impact individuals at risk for certain cancers.”
“Look for supplements that are manufactured by reputable companies, adhere to good manufacturing practices (GMP), and undergo third-party testing for purity and potency.”
For optimal temperature regulation and storage of bovine colostrum supplements, Routhenstein said it’s best to consider purchasing from reputable third-party dispensaries specializing in health and wellness products.
Bovine colostrum supplements may not be suitable for individuals with dairy allergies, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and those taking immunosuppressant medications, a dietitian said. (iStock)
“All supplements have limited oversight and don’t need to be proven safe or effective before being sold in the U.S.,” Collins said. “For this reason, there’s no guarantee on purity or potency in many cases.”
“Because bovine colostrum is likely to be sold as a dietary supplement, I would say buyer beware.”
For all supplements, Collins recommends looking for the USP (United States Pharmacopeia) symbol, which indicates that the product “does not contain harmful levels of specified contaminants” and that it is “made using safe, sanitary and well-controlled manufacturing practices according to FDA and USP guidelines.”
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Certain groups of people should be careful to avoid colostrum supplements, the dietitian said.
“I always caution people with compromised liver, kidney or immune systems about taking dietary supplements,” she said.
For anyone else interested in trying colostrum supplements, experts advised consulting with a doctor before trying them. (iStock)
Bovine colostrum supplements may not be suitable for individuals with dairy allergies, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and those taking immunosuppressant medications, according to Routhenstein.
For anyone else interested in trying colostrum supplements, both dietitians advised consulting with a doctor before trying them.
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“I think this is just a case of too much speculation with too little actual research at this time,” Collins said.
“Could bovine colostrum benefit some people? Maybe. But there are a lot of other proven ways to improve health that don’t involve supplements or speculation — like eating enough fruits and vegetables — and I would encourage people to spend their hard-earned dollars there first.”
The FDA does not test or approve dietary supplements before they are sold, according to the agency’s website. (REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo)
The FDA does not test or approve dietary supplements before they are sold, according to the agency’s website.
“Consumers may contact the dietary supplement manufacturer or a commercial laboratory for an analysis of a product’s content,” the agency stated.
The FDA recommends that consumers talk to their doctor, pharmacist or another health care professional before choosing to take any supplement, and warned that some supplements may interact with other medications.
Fox News Digital contacted the FDA requesting additional comment.
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The key to feeling better in a fast, overstimulated world might be surprisingly simple: Live a little more like your grandparents.
A growing social media trend, dubbed “nonnamaxxing,” draws inspiration from the slower, more intentional rhythms associated with an Italian grandmother.
The lifestyle is often linked to activities like preparing home-cooked meals, spending time outdoors and making meaningful connections.
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“Nonnamaxxing is a 2026 trend that embraces the slower, more intentional lifestyle of an Italian grandmother (a Nonna). Think cooking from scratch, long family meals, daily walks, gardening and less screen time,” Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian, told Fox News Digital.
Nonnamaxxing, derived from the name for an Italian grandmother, is a trend that incorporates lifestyle habits hundreds of years in the making. (iStock)
Stepping away from screens and toward real-world interaction can have measurable benefits, according to California-based psychotherapist Laurie Singer.
“We know that interacting with others in person, rather than spending time on screens, significantly improves mental health,” she told Fox News Digital, adding that social media often fuels comparison and lowers self-esteem.
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Living more like previous generations isn’t purely driven by nostalgia. Cooking meals from scratch, for example, has been linked to better nutrition and more mindful eating patterns.
Adopting traditional mealtime habits can improve diet quality and support both physical and mental health, especially when meals are shared regularly with others, Palinski-Wade noted.
One longevity expert stresses that staying healthy isn’t just about food — it’s also about joy and community. (iStock)
There’s also a psychological benefit to slowing down and focusing on one task at a time. Anxiety often stems from unfinished or avoided tasks, Singer noted, and engaging in hands-on activities can counteract that.
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“Nonnamaxxing encourages us to be present around a task, like gardening, baking or knitting, or just taking a mindful walk, that delivers something ‘real,’” she said.
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Palinski-Wade cautions against turning the trend into another source of pressure, noting that a traditional “nonna” lifestyle often assumes a different pace of life.
The key, she said, is adapting the mindset, not replicating it perfectly.
Nonnamaxxing, derived from the name for an Italian grandmother, is a trend that incorporates lifestyle habits hundreds of years in the making. (iStock)
The goal is to reintroduce small, intentional moments that make you feel better.
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That might mean prioritizing a few shared meals each week, taking a walk without your phone or setting aside time for a simple hobby, the expert recommended.
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Singer added, “Having a positive place to escape to, through whatever activities speak to us and make us happy, isn’t generational – it’s human.”
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Feeling lonely may take a toll on older adults’ memory — but it may not speed up cognitive decline, according to a new study.
Researchers from Colombia, Spain and Sweden analyzed data from more than 10,000 adults ages 65 to 94 across 12 European countries and found those who reported higher levels of loneliness did worse on memory tests at the start of the study, according to research published this month in the journal Aging & Mental Health.
Over a seven-year period, however, memory decline occurred at a similar rate regardless of how lonely participants felt.
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“The finding that loneliness significantly impacted memory, but not the speed of decline in memory over time was a surprising outcome,” lead author Dr. Luis Carlos Venegas-Sanabria of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Universidad del Rosario said in a statement.
Loneliness may be linked to memory performance in older adults, a new study suggests. (iStock)
“It suggests that loneliness may play a more prominent role in the initial state of memory than in its progressive decline,” Venegas-Sanabria said, adding that the findings highlight the importance of addressing loneliness as a factor in cognitive performance.
The findings add to debate about whether loneliness contributes to dementia risk. While loneliness and social isolation are often considered risk factors for cognitive decline, research results have been mixed.
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The study looked at data from the long-running Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), which tracked 10,217 older adults between 2012 and 2019. Participants were asked to recall words immediately and after a delay to measure memory performance.
Social isolation and loneliness could play a surprising role in cognitive health among seniors. (iStock)
Loneliness was assessed using three questions about how often participants felt isolated, left out or lacking companionship.
About 8% of participants reported high levels of loneliness at the outset. That group tended to be older, more likely to be female and more likely to have conditions such as depression.
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Researchers found that those with higher loneliness had lower scores on both immediate and delayed memory tests at baseline. Still, all groups — regardless of loneliness level — experienced similar declines in memory over time.
The results suggest loneliness may not directly accelerate the progression of memory loss, though it remains linked to poorer cognitive performance overall.
Researchers look at a brain scan at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
Experts warn, however, that the findings should not be interpreted to mean loneliness is harmless.
“The finding that lonely older adults start with worse memory but don’t decline faster is actually the most interesting part of the paper, and I think it’s easy to misread,” said Jordan Weiss, Ph.D., a scientific advisor and aging expert at Assisted Living Magazine and a professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
“It likely means loneliness does its damage earlier in life, well before people show up in a study like this at 65-plus,” Weiss told Fox News Digital.
By older age, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it harder to detect when the effects of loneliness first took hold, an aging expert says. (iStock)
He suggested that by older age, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it harder to detect when the effects of loneliness first took hold.
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“By the time you’re measuring someone in their late 60s, decades of social connection patterns are already baked in,” he said.
Weiss, who was not involved in the research, added that loneliness may coincide with other health conditions, and noted that participants who felt more isolated also had higher rates of depression, high-blood pressure and diabetes. The link, he said, may reflect a cluster of health risks rather than a direct cause.
“While they can go hand-in-hand, it’s not clear that loneliness contributes to dementia,” a psychotherapist says. (iStock)
Amy Morin, a Florida-based psychotherapist and author, said the findings reflect a broader pattern in research on loneliness and brain health, and that the relationship may be more complex than it appears.
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“The evidence shows there’s a link between loneliness and cognitive decline but there’s no direct evidence of a cause and effect relationship,” she said. “So while they can go hand-in-hand, it’s not clear that loneliness contributes to dementia.”
Morin added that loneliness, which can fluctuate, may not be the root of the problem, but rather a symptom of other underlying mental or physical health issues.
Researchers suggested screening for loneliness be incorporated into routine cognitive assessments as one way to support healthy aging. (iStock)
She said staying socially and mentally engaged is crucial for overall brain health.
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“It’s important to be proactive about social activities,” Morin said. “Joining a book club, having coffee with a friend, or attending faith-based services can be a powerful way to maintain connections in older age.”
The researchers also suggested screening for loneliness be incorporated into routine cognitive assessments as one way to support healthy aging.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
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