Should you be drinking bovine colostrum? Experts weigh in on latest wellness trend loved by celebrities

Cow's milk is making a comeback in the form of 'bovine colostrum.' 

While traditional milk has been on the decline in favor of dairy alternatives like oat and almond varities, 'bovine colostrum' - also referred to as 'liquid gold' - is being praised by a battalion of health aficionados, including celebrity 'fitfluencers' such as Kourtney Kardashian Barker and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Also known as 'pre-milk', the thick and sticky fluid is produced by mother cows to get a newborn calf through the critical first three days of life. 

Colostrum is produced by all female mammals after giving birth, including humans, and it is packed full of nutrients and antibodies to build a newborn's immune system. 

But it's not just newborns who can benefit. Studies have shown this first form of milk from cows can boost athletes' immune systems during intensive physical training.

Alabama-based registered dietitian and culinary nutrition expert Carolyn Williams told DailyMail.com she is a big fan of the supplement - which is sold in powder form from upwards of $50 a jar - and she takes it on a daily basis. 

She says, that along with improved strength, 'studies suggest that taking colostrum supplements can improve gut health, reduce inflammation, bolster immune function, lower your risk of catching the flu and upper respiratory infections, and relieve stomach and digestive issues.' 

The nutrition expert is such a fan of the 'magic' powder, that she even tries sneaking it into her kids' drinks. 

'I love the potential benefits for overall gut and immune health, particularly this time of year when you're more likely to get sick,' Ms Williams adds.

While it has long been stocked at specialist health food stores, bovine colostrum is now being packaged for the mass market and TikTok is awash with users singing its praises.  

Packaged bovine colostrum comes in a powder form to mix with drinks and the recommended dose is four 1gram servings per day.

Sarah Rahal, a pediatric neurologist and the brains behind Armra - a wellness company selling the product - told Goop she commissioned her own research on her bovine colostrum offering, 'which revealed compelling outcomes.'

She said: 'In just three months of taking two scoops a day, 86 percent of participants in our study reported feeling relief with bloating, and 80-87 percent reported feeling an improvement in their muscle building, endurance, and recovery.'

The doctor-turned-entrepreneur highlighted colostrum has been 'traded on the black market for decades because it is well known among elite athletes for its growth factors and peptides, which are exceptional at accelerating lean muscle building and tissue recovery and repair after intense exercise.' 

Bovine colostrum is not prohibited in the world of sports but the World Anti-Doping Agency advises athletes against taking it as it contains 'high' levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) and other growth factors that could influence the outcome of a doping test.

Ms Rahal says she first started investigating the benefits of bovine colostrum after suffering with her own severe gut problems which caused her to quit her own medical practice in New York. 

When she was researching bovine colostrum, dietitian Ms Williams told this website one of her concerns was that newborn calves were 'going without their liquid gold.'

But after consulting Dr Keri Marshall, an experienced healthcare provider and epidemiologist, her 'mind was put at rest.' 

According to Dr Marshall, who is based out of North Carolina, only once newborn calves' needs are met is the extra colostrum collected for supplements. Mother cows generally produce colostrum for around 72 hours. 

Ms Rahal also highlights that 'baby calves can only consume about 50 percent of the colostrum that's produced [and] the rest is considered a waste product in the dairy industry.'

Her company purchases surplus bovine colostrum from 'grass-fed cows on family-owned dairy farms' from across the US. 

She adds: 'We don't just do that because it's a nice thing to say on the box - I put Armra colostrum in my body every single day, I rely on it. 

'The product I use for myself is what I make available in my business for my customers. 

'I care deeply about the... animal that the colostrum comes from, because healthy animals in a healthy environment make healthy food.

'That's one of our principles. And it's all upcycled: This is a question that we get a lot. Unlike humans, cows produce colostrum in surplus.' 

Kourtney Kardashian Barker's lifestyle website, Poosh, also recommends bovine colostrum.

It describes the product as a 'total-nutrition food [which] is easy to toss in water, juice, or anything cold.'

Dr Rahal says  noticeable results typically appear after 'four to six weeks of consistent, daily use.' 

Despite bovine colostrum becoming a hot wellness trend, some experts have cautioned against it. 

Registered dietitian Beth Czerwony told the Cleveland Clinic possible side effects can include gastrointestinal issues like nausea and gas.

She also highlights that supplements such as bovine colostrum aren't regulated by the FDA, so it is hard to know if you are getting what is advertised on a supplement's packaging.

There has also been some concern about the growth hormone IGF-1 in bovine colostrum and if it can cause certain diseases like breast cancer or prostate cancer.

And since bovine colostrum comes from animals there has been some concern about contamination with diseased animal parts. 

But WebMD notes that so far, there are no reports of humans catching diseases from bovine colostrum. 

The nutrient-rich milk is normally collected and frozen on the individual farms and shipped frozen to central processing facilities.

It then undergoes pasteurization, optional defatting and the removal of lactose, before being spray-or freeze-dried into a powder. 

Experts at Baylor Scott & White Health reveal bovine colostrum is high in saturated fats and if these are not removed and 'consumed in excess [it] can possibly increase cholesterol and the risk of developing heart disease.'

In light of these factors, Ms Czerwony concludes: 'It's like the Wild West - people are taking whatever they want. 

'We don't know how much to take and we don't know how long to take it for. Does it take four to six weeks to show any benefit? Are you going to see it in two weeks?

'You're at your own risk trying this supplement.'