6 Reasons Why Grass-Fed Colostrum is an Impressive Superfood

PLEASE NOTE: The information in this blog is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Consult your healthcare provider if you’re seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. 

Dairy has nourished humans for thousands of years (1). Yet in the modern world, it’s often one of the first foods people eliminate when digestive issues, skin troubles, or inflammation arise.

But what if one of the most biologically supportive foods for gut, immune, and overall health is actually a dairy product?

Bovine colostrum is a distinct, bioactive form of dairy produced before milk, with a nutritional profile and purpose that are fundamentally different from conventional dairy.

This article explores why bovine colostrum stands apart nutritionally and why it’s often considered a true superfood.

You’ll learn: 

• When to take colostrum for best results
• The special role of colostrum
• Colostrum vs milk
• 6 benefits of colostrum
• How to find high-quality colostrum

What is Bovine Colostrum?

Colostrum is the first nourishment mammals produce after birth, typically within the first 24–48 hours. It isn’t just “early milk.” It’s a biologically targeted substance designed to build the gut, train the immune system, and support rapid growth and repair during the most vulnerable phase of life.

This is why calves that don’t receive colostrum immediately after birth are far more susceptible to infection and poor outcomes (2). Without colostrum, the systems responsible for digestion, immunity, and resilience simply aren’t fully equipped to function.

That same biological purpose extends beyond cattle.

Across mammalian species, colostrum plays a critical role in:

• Supporting immune defense
• Developing the gastrointestinal tract
• Enhancing resistance to microbial stressors (3).

Long before antibiotics existed, colostrum was used to support recovery from illness and infection. Its protective properties were recognized intuitively because they worked (4).

How Colostrum is Different From Milk

Colostrum and mature milk share a common origin, but their functions are entirely different.

Milk is designed to maintain.
Colostrum is designed to build and protect.

Compared to mature milk, colostrum:

• Contains more protein and fat, with significantly less lactose
• Is richer in vitamins A, B, C, D, and K
• Contains much higher levels of lactoferrin, a bioactive protein involved in immune defense, tissue repair, and muscle recovery
• Delivers immune-active compounds that simply aren’t present in meaningful amounts in milk

Both milk and colostrum provide minerals such as calcium, zinc, copper, magnesium, and phosphorus, but colostrum delivers them in a more concentrated and bioactive form (5).

This is why the term superfood actually fits here. Colostrum isn’t trendy. It’s nutrient density with a biological job to do.

Why People Notice a Difference With Colostrum

When people add high-quality, grass-fed colostrum to their routine, they often describe subtle but meaningful shifts:

• Digestion feels calmer and more predictable
• The gut feels less reactive after meals
• Recovery between workouts improves
• Immune challenges feel easier to bounce back from
• Skin and connective tissue heal more efficiently

That’s not magic. That’s nourishment doing what it’s designed to do.

6 Amazing Benefits of Grass-Fed Colostrum

1. Gut Health

The gut lining is one of the most metabolically active tissues in the body, and one of the first to suffer when the body is under stress.

Bovine colostrum has been shown to support gastrointestinal integrity and permeability (6).

In practical terms, this means:

• A stronger gut barrier
• Better nutrient absorption
• Less irritation from food, stress, or exercise

Colostrum has also shown potential benefits in conditions involving gut injury or inflammation, including NSAID-related damage and inflammatory bowel conditions  (7, 8). It’s not just helpful for adult GI tracts, but children’s GI tracts, too (9)!

2. Immune System Support

Colostrum contains immunoglobulins and antimicrobial compounds that help the body recognize and respond to pathogens.

Research has shown bovine colostrum may reduce symptoms of nasal allergies compared to a placebo (10), and its antimicrobial activity has been observed against bacteria, viruses, and yeast (11). 

Some epidemiological studies have even compared the protective effects of colostrum during flu season to vaccination (12, 13).

What people often feel is fewer setbacks, and faster recovery when stress or illness does show up.

As Sara and her family discovered, bovine colostrum can be a valuable ally during flu season.

3. Bone & Joint Health

Colostrum contains lactoferrin, which supports the activity of cells involved in bone formation (14). It also provides exosomes, which are tiny messengers involved in cell communication that play a role in skeletal health (15, 16). 

Add in fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and naturally occurring calcium, and you have a nutrient profile that supports bone health across the lifespan (17, 18, 19, 20).

Many people notice this as improved joint comfort and resilience during training or daily movement.

4. Brain & Nervous System Support

Colostrum is rich in lipids like gangliosides, which are essential for neural development and communication. 

Growth factors in colostrum also support neurogenesis, the process by which new neurons are formed (21, 22).

While these compounds are especially important during infancy, adults still rely on them for cognitive resilience, memory, and nervous system health.

People often report feeling more mentally steady, focused, and grounded. 

5. Athletic Performance & Recovery

Intense exercise places stress on both muscles and the gut.

Colostrum supplementation has been shown to support recovery after strenuous training and may help prevent exercise-induced gut permeability (23).

One study even found that older adults combining resistance training with colostrum supplementation experienced greater leg strength improvements than training alone (24).

Athletes often describe this as bouncing back faster and feeling more capable of training consistently.

6. Skin Healing

Colostrum’s role in skin health is less talked about, but increasingly compelling.

Studies show colostrum can support wound healing (25, 26), and more recent research suggests colostrum-derived exosomes may help repair skin damage and support healthy aging (27).

This shows up as skin that recovers better, whether from stress, training, or environmental exposure.

Not sure if colostrum is right for you? Take the Colostrum Quiz to find out. 

Where to Find High-Quality Bovine Colostrum

Not all bovine colostrum is created equal. 

Colostrum is biologically powerful, but it’s also fragile. Many products lose effectiveness because they’re harvested too late, sourced poorly, or processed aggressively. The result is often a powder that looks impressive on a label but delivers little real-world benefit.

Here are 5 things to look for when choosing a source of colostrum:

1. Harvested Too Late

• True colostrum is only produced in the first 72 hours after birth, but it’s most potent within the first 24. 
• When collected later, levels of immunoglobulins, growth factors, and immune peptides drop so dramatically that the product becomes closer to milk powder than functional colostrum (11).

2. Grain-Fed Dairy Sourcing

• The quality of colostrum reflects the health of the cow. 
• Colostrum from grain-fed, conventionally raised cows is more likely to contain contaminants and fewer beneficial compounds, while grass-fed, pasture-raised cows produce cleaner, more biologically active colostrum (12).

3. Harsh Processing

• High heat, pressure, or aggressive processing can destroy immunoglobulins, denature growth factors like IGF-1, and damage delicate immune peptides.
•  What remains may look fine on paper, but your body can’t really utilize it. Freeze and spray drying are recognized as methods that result in minimal loss of bioactive contents when done correctly.  (28).

4. Additives and Fillers

• Pure colostrum should contain one ingredient: colostrum. 
• Flow agents, emulsifiers, and “instantizing” chemicals interfere with how the body interacts with the product and often signal lower-quality sourcing and processing.

5. Defatting the Colostrum

• Some brands remove natural fat to inflate IgG percentages, but this strips away essential lipids involved in protection, absorption, and immune signaling. 
• Defatted colostrum may test well, but it often performs worse in the body.

Check out the Colostrum Quiz to find out if your current colostrum brand makes the cut. 

Why Grass-Fed Colostrum is Different

After seeing how compromised most colostrum products were, we created Free-Form Grass-Fed Colostrum to respect colostrum’s biology.

Ours is collected early, sourced from grass-fed, pasture-raised cows, minimally processed at low temperatures, and kept full-fat and filler-free. These details aren’t optional; they’re what determine whether colostrum actually works.

When colostrum is intact and properly handled, people often notice calmer digestion, improved recovery, and greater immune resilience.

Digging Deeper: Colostrum FAQs

What about the baby calves?

• The calf always comes first.
• Colostrum is harvested only after the calf’s needs are fully met, typically around 72 hours after birth. Cows produce more than enough colostrum for their offspring, and no responsible farmer would compromise calf health.

Can I take colostrum if I’m an athlete?

• Colostrum contains IGF-1, which is banned by the NCAA.
• While Grass-Fed Colostrum meets quality standards, it is not certified for NCAA or drug-tested athletes due to this restriction. Athletes should consult governing body guidelines before use (30).

Does colostrum contain dairy?

• Yes. Colostrum is a dairy product.
• That said, it is naturally low in lactose, which is often the most problematic dairy component (31). However, colostrum is high in casein, so those sensitive to casein should proceed carefully.

Where can I learn more about colostrum? 

• The Institute of Colostrum Research is a fantastic tool to learn more about colostrum. Their site contains various articles, studies, and relevant information surrounding colostrum. 

Bovine Colostrum is a Superfood

Colostrum has been used for centuries because it works with the body, not against it.

It’s not about forcing change. It’s about giving the body what it needs to repair, adapt, and feel resilient again.

For many people, colostrum becomes the missing link. It’s the thing that helps digestion calm down, recovery speed up, and immune stress feel more manageable.

If you can source it locally, start there.

If not, explore our Grass-Fed Colostrum.

And if you have questions, our team is always here to help.