Last reviewed October 28, 2026 by the Cellovi team.
The short answer
Colostrum is the first milk a cow makes after giving birth, and it is far richer in antibodies than ordinary milk. The main antibody is IgG (immunoglobulin G). Studies in adults, mostly athletes, link colostrum to a healthier gut barrier during hard training and to better recovery after exercise. Many of those studies used 10 to 20 grams a day; a growing group of studies used 1 to 3.2 grams (our scoop is 2.3 grams), with encouraging results. Each Cellovi scoop gives you 575 mg of IgG, standardized so every serving is the same.*
Our grade: Frontier. The studies point in a promising direction, especially for the gut, including low-dose studies of 1 to 3.2 grams a day, a range our 2.3 g scoop falls within.*
What colostrum is
A calf is born without antibodies of its own, so colostrum is how it gets its first immune protection. Compared with mature milk, cow colostrum contains roughly 50 to 300 times more immunoglobulins and much more lactoferrin, an iron-binding protein (Davison, 2021; Playford and Weiser, 2021).
| Component | Colostrum | Mature milk |
|---|---|---|
| Total immunoglobulins | 42 to 90 mg per mL | 0.4 to 0.9 mg per mL |
| Lactoferrin | 1.5 to 5 g per liter | Up to 0.75 g per liter |
| Protein | 14 to 16% | About 3% |
| Lactose | 2 to 3% | About 5% |
Source: Playford and Weiser, 2021.
Quality varies a lot between products. In a comparison of 20 commercial colostrum powders, biological activity differed six-fold (Playford et al., 2020). That is why we standardize to 25% IgG and print the amount: 575 mg per scoop.
What studies in adults show
The gut barrier. Hard exercise, especially in heat, temporarily makes the gut lining more permeable. In a crossover study of athletes taking 20 g a day, colostrum cut that rise by about 80% compared with placebo (Marchbank et al., 2011). At a much lower amount, 1 g a day for 20 days, colostrum improved gut barrier markers in 16 combat-sport athletes (Hałasa et al., 2017).*
Recovery after exercise. In 18 soccer players, 3.2 g a day for 6 weeks helped jump power and an inflammation marker recover faster after a demanding match simulation (Kotsis et al., 2018).*
A normal inflammatory response. In adults aged 50 to 69, a colostrum-enriched milk providing 300 mg of IgG a day for 12 weeks lowered markers of inflammation compared with ordinary milk (Ooi et al., 2023).*
Immune health. Colostrum naturally supplies IgG antibodies, and its role in healthy immune function is an active area of human research.*
Our reading: the gut findings are the most consistent, and the recovery and inflammatory-response findings are encouraging. It's a gentle daily habit for your gut, with benefits that build over weeks.*
A note on IGF-1
Colostrum naturally contains growth factors, including IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1). Studies giving adults 20 g a day for up to 12 weeks, almost nine times our serving, found no rise in blood IGF-1 (Davison et al., 2020). If you compete under anti-doping rules, check with your sports body, as some advise caution with colostrum.
How to take it
- 1 scoop a day, stirred into a cold or room-temperature drink. Heat can reduce colostrum's natural activity (Playford et al., 2020), so keep it out of hot coffee.
- Same time every day. Many people take it in the morning; studies used both empty-stomach and with-meal timing.
- Give it 8 to 12 weeks. Gut markers changed within 2 to 3 weeks in studies; other outcomes took longer.
Who should check with a doctor first
- Anyone allergic to cow's milk: do not take it. Colostrum is a milk product.
- People who are lactose intolerant: colostrum has less lactose than milk, but not none.
- Anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, where safety data are lacking.
Colostrum is generally well tolerated; mild stomach upset is uncommon.
Where it fits in your day
Cellovi Colostrum Powder is $1.30 a day, with a 3-month supply option. It is part of the Gut & Immunity Protocol, with Probiotic 40 Billion. The two were chosen to support the gut in complementary ways.*
Common questions
What is IgG in colostrum?
IgG (immunoglobulin G) is the main antibody in colostrum, the first milk a cow makes after giving birth. Quality varies a lot between products, so Cellovi standardizes to 25% IgG: 575 mg per scoop.
Can I take colostrum if I'm lactose intolerant?
Colostrum has less lactose than milk, but not none, so check with your doctor first. If you are allergic to cow's milk, do not take it.
Can I mix colostrum into hot coffee?
Better not. Heat can reduce colostrum's natural activity, so stir it into a cold or room-temperature drink.
Does colostrum raise IGF-1?
Studies giving adults 20 g a day for up to 12 weeks, almost nine times our serving, found no rise in blood IGF-1. If you compete under anti-doping rules, check with your sports body.
Sources
- Davison G. The use of bovine colostrum in sport and exercise. Nutrients, 2021.
- Playford RJ, Weiser MJ. Bovine colostrum: its constituents and uses. Nutrients, 2021.
- Playford RJ, Cattell M, Marchbank T. Marked variability in bioactivity between commercially available bovine colostrum for human use; implications for clinical trials. PLoS One, 2020.
- Marchbank T et al. The nutriceutical bovine colostrum truncates the increase in gut permeability caused by heavy exercise in athletes. American Journal of Physiology: Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, 2011.
- Hałasa M et al. Oral supplementation with bovine colostrum decreases intestinal permeability and stool concentrations of zonulin in athletes. Nutrients, 2017.
- Kotsis Y et al. A low-dose, 6-week bovine colostrum supplementation maintains performance and attenuates inflammatory indices following a Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test in soccer players. European Journal of Nutrition, 2018.
- Ooi TC et al. The effects of 12 weeks colostrum milk supplementation on the expression levels of pro-inflammatory mediators and metabolic changes among older adults. Nutrients, 2023.
- Davison G et al. Oral bovine colostrum supplementation does not increase circulating insulin-like growth factor-1 concentration in healthy adults. European Journal of Nutrition, 2020.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.