For today's Dear Mark, I'm answering a reader question about whether colostrum supplements are worth trying. Let's get right into it. Dear Mark, A buddy of mine has been taking colostrum powder for a few months now. He swears it's helping him bulk up in the gym. I'm training for a century ride this summer and he says I should start using colostrum for leg strength. Ever since he mentioned it I feel like I'm seeing more fitness types talking about it on social media too. I'd love to get your take before shelling out the money. Thanks Mark! Ah yes, your phone heard you talking about colostrum. Now your social media feed is full of colostrum posts, and you want to know if it's legit or just another empty promise. Colostrum, as you might know, is the "first milk" that mammals produce in the two to three days after giving birth. Compared to regular milk, colostrum is particularly rich in antibodies, enzymes, growth factors, and other nutrients all designed to protect the newborn and kickstart their immune system and digestion. If you were breastfed at birth, you received colostrum from your mother. Colostrum that you buy as a supplement is almost always bovine (cow) colostrum, usually in powder or capsule form. Because of all the good stuff colostrum contains, it is a hot research topic for medical applications and boosting athletic performance. I'll highlight some of the interesting findings in both areas here. Does Bovine Colostrum Boost Athletic Performance? Athletes are always looking for that edge. I can see why colostrum, which contains protein, growth factors like IGF-1, and lots of vitamins and minerals, would seem promising. After all, those compounds do support muscle growth, bone health, and general fitness. It's also why some athletes have apparently tried drinking human breastmilk as a performance enhancer. (Breastmilk, although also loaded with nutrients, is not the same as colostrum.) However, just because a product contains beneficial components doesn't mean our bodies can use them as desired. In this case, adult humans don't seem to be able to absorb the IGF-1 in bovine colostrum. Baby cows can absorb it because their intestines are more permeable, but we cannot. That doesn't mean there aren't any benefits for athletes. I'm merely pointing out that just because something seems on face value like it should confer certain benefits doesn't necessarily mean it will. That's why we have research studies. Before turning to the research, remember that when we ask, "Does supplement X boost athletic performance?" we also need to ask, "Compared to what?" In this case, researchers usually compare colostrum to whey protein. This makes sense. The benefits of whey protein are already well known. Pitting whey against colostrum in a single study design lets us see if a particular effect is due to protein ingestion generally or whether colostrum confers an extra advantage. So what do the studies show? Colostrum for Athletes: The Data It's a mixed bag of results, partially due to variation … Continue reading "Dear Mark: Colostrum"
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