Colostrum capsules: IgG content, quality and what suppliers are allowed to promise

Colostrum capsules are now available from dozens of suppliers, and almost all of them end with the same sentence: that nothing can be said about their efficacy. Instead, this article answers the questions that are actually asked – IgG content, lactose, cow or goat, liquid or capsules – and explains how colostrum is legally regulated in the EU.

First: Are you referring to capsules or collection during pregnancy?

Two completely different topics are discussed online under the term "colostrum," and most guides mix them up.

Colostrum collection during pregnancy: Expectant mothers collect their own first milk by hand from about the 37th week of pregnancy, freeze it, and bring it with them to the birth. If you are looking for information on this – color, storage, freezing, when to start – your midwife is the right person to contact. This article will not help you with that.

Bovine colostrum as a dietary supplement for adults: This is what this article is about. A dairy product from cattle, dried and offered in capsules or as a powder.

What is colostrum?

Colostrum is the first milk that a mammal produces immediately after birth. In the EU, this is not a matter of definition, but rather applicable law.

Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 defines colostrum as the secretion derived from the mammary glands of milking animals up to three to five days after parturition, which is rich in antibodies and minerals and precedes the production of raw milk.^[1] This also establishes the timeframe: what is milked after five days is milk, not colostrum.

The biological background: A calf does not receive any antibodies via the placenta during gestation. It is born without immune protection in its blood and is dependent on receiving it through the first milk. This is different in humans – babies receive antibodies even before birth. This is why the immunoglobulin content in cow colostrum is naturally much higher than in human first milk.^[2] And this is why the comparison with human breast milk, which is popular in advertising, is flawed.

What does IgG content mean – and what is the IgG factor?

The IgG content is the only metric with which colostrum products can be meaningfully compared. It is stated as a percentage and describes what proportion of the powder consists of immunoglobulin G. The levels in commercially available products vary widely – a study of 20 over-the-counter colostrum products found differences in bioactivity by a factor of six.^[3] If a supplier does not provide a value at all, the quality cannot be assessed.

Do not confuse this with the "IgG factor." Many manufacturers advertise with figures such as "factor 40." This does not describe the content, but rather the multiple compared to human breast milk – a supplier convention without a scientific definition. And it is systematically misleading: in cattle, IgG accounts for over 75 percent of the immunoglobulins in colostrum, while in humans it is only about 2 percent, because human infants receive antibodies via the placenta.^[2] Referencing an inherently low value creates large numbers with little significance. Ask for the percentage value.

The IgG content is also influenced by processing. Immunoglobulins are heat-sensitive: heating to 60 °C for 30 minutes reduces the IgG content by about 21 percent; at 63 °C for 30 minutes, it is about 61 percent.^[4] EU regulations require the colostrum to be cooled to a maximum of 6 °C after reception at the processing plant, and heat-treated according to recognized methods.^[4] How gently it is dried beyond that distinguishes the manufacturers.

Is colostrum lactose-free?

No, colostrum naturally contains lactose. However, there are low-lactose and lactose-free variants in which the lactose has been enzymatically cleaved or removed by filtration.

If you are lactose intolerant, look for an explicit statement on the packaging. If nothing is stated, assume a normal lactose content. With capsules, the amount consumed is significantly smaller than with powder – many people with mild intolerance therefore tolerate them better.

Colostrum also contains milk protein, including casein. There is no such thing as casein-free colostrum; some manufacturers offer casein-reduced variants. If you have a milk protein allergy, the reduced variant is also unsuitable.^[2]

Is there vegan colostrum?

No. By definition, colostrum is a secretion of milk-producing animals.^[1] A plant-based equivalent does not exist.

Products marketed as "vegan colostrum" contain something else – often fungal extracts or amino acid mixtures. That may be useful in itself, but it is not colostrum, and the term is misleading.

Cow or goat?

The market is dominated by bovine colostrum. Goat colostrum is a niche that is currently gaining attention.

The factual differences: goat milk contains less alpha-S1-casein than cow milk, which is why some people find it easier to digest – this is a question of tolerance. In the case of a true milk protein allergy, switching does not help because the proteins are very similar.

Regarding IgG content, the data on goat colostrum is thinner, and the available quantities are small – a goat produces significantly less first milk than a cow. The prices are correspondingly higher. Anyone who tolerates bovine colostrum well has no factual reason to switch.

Capsules, powder, liquid, or tablets?

They all contain the same thing. The difference lies in dosage, additives, and price.

Capsules are precisely dosed and taste-neutral. The capsule shell is the only additional ingredient. For many with mild lactose intolerance, this is the most tolerable form because the amount per intake is small.

Powder is the cheapest per gram and can be dosed freely. In return, it has a distinct taste and must be stored in a dry place.

Liquid colostrum is closest to the original product and is often advertised as being particularly gentle. Practical disadvantages: short shelf life after opening, must be refrigerated, high price per serving, and shipping weight.

Tablets require pressing aids, typically release agents such as magnesium salts of fatty acids or silicon dioxide. Chewable tablets and pearls additionally contain sweeteners or flavorings.

Rule of thumb: The more convenient the dosage form, the longer the list of ingredients.

Why is there nothing here about the effects?

Because we are not allowed to say anything about them – and because it is more honest to explain that than to paraphrase it.

Health claims about foods are only permitted in the EU if they are included in the positive list of Regulation (EU) No. 432/2012.^[3] Colostrum is not listed with a single claim. Therefore, no supplier may write that colostrum strengthens the immune system, supports the gut, or promotes regeneration.

That is why one often reads formulations on colostrum websites such as: "Due to legal requirements, we are unfortunately not allowed to provide information on application and effects – please inform yourself in the specialist literature." This shifts the statement into the reader's mind without making it oneself.

In addition, there is the study situation. A systematic review of adults aged 35 and older concludes that the evidence is inconclusive.^[5] Furthermore, processing significantly affects bioactivity^[6], and the differences between commercial products are correspondingly large.^[3]

This is not a convenient statement for a supplier to make. Nevertheless, it belongs here.

What does the calf get?

This question is asked too rarely and is one of the most important.

After calving, a cow produces more first milk than a single calf can consume. The surplus – the amount that remains after the calf has been provided for – is used for food production. Colostrum supply is considered the single most important management factor for the health and survival of the calf in cattle farming^[7] – so it is provided for first.

Whether this is handled this way on an individual farm is a question of practice. If this point is important to you, ask the supplier about the sequence and from which milkings the raw material originates. If they cannot answer that, they do not know their supply chain.

Is there a colostrum test?

We are not aware of any test of colostrum by Stiftung Warentest or Öko-Test. You can check for yourself at test.de and oekotest.de.

What you find when searching for "colostrum test winner" are comparison portals that do not conduct their own product tests, but instead compile bestseller lists with affiliate links. As an overview, that is useful, but it is not a test. Compare for yourself instead using the following points.

How do you recognize good quality?

1. IgG content as a percentage, not as a "factor."
2. Country of origin and farming method of the raw material.
3. Time frame of collection. The EU definition specifies three to five days after birth.^[1]
4. Processing. How is it dried, how high was it heated?
5. List of ingredients. Colostrum powder and capsule shell – nothing more is needed.
6. Laboratory testing. Is every batch tested for microbiology and heavy metals, and are the reports viewable?
7. Allergen labeling. Colostrum is milk and must be labeled as such.

How long should you take colostrum?

There is no reliable recommendation for this. Cures over four to twelve weeks are common, but this is market practice, not based on the study situation.

Colostrum is a food, not a treatment with a defined duration. Follow the consumption recommendation on the packaging and do not exceed it.

For whom is colostrum not suitable?

Milk protein allergy: unsuitable, even in casein-reduced form.

Lactose intolerance: only explicitly low-lactose or lactose-free products.^[2]

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, chronic illnesses, medication use: consult a doctor beforehand.

In principle, dietary supplements are not officially tested or approved before they are placed on the market. There is only a notification requirement with the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, and this notification is explicitly not an approval or a confirmation of marketability.^[6] The responsibility lies with the manufacturer – another reason to go through the seven points above.

Frequently asked questions

Colostrum or "Kolostrum"? (Note: German spelling)

Both are correct. "Colostrum" is the Latin spelling, "Kolostrum" is the Germanized spelling.

Is colostrum the same as whey protein?

No. Whey protein comes from regular milk and is a protein powder. Colostrum comes from the first milk and differs primarily in its immunoglobulin content.

When should you take colostrum?

It is common to take it at some interval from a meal. There is no reliable study situation regarding the best time.

Can I give colostrum to my dog or cat?

Colostrum for animals is a feed with its own labeling and composition – there are specialized suppliers for this. Our products are manufactured as food for humans and are not declared as feed. If you have questions about feeding, your veterinary practice is the right place to go.

What about organic colostrum?

There is organic-certified colostrum. Organic regulates feed, animal husbandry, and the avoidance of genetic engineering – not the IgG content. An organic seal therefore says nothing about the concentration. Both are independent quality characteristics.

Our colostrum

Our colostrum capsules contain colostrum powder from grass-fed cattle in the EU with an IgG content of 30 percent – compared to the approximately 20 percent that is common for standard commercial products. No additives, bottled in Germany.

Each batch is tested in an accredited German laboratory for microbiology and heavy metals – the test reports are publicly viewable and can be assigned using the batch number on your pack.

What we do not tell you: what it does. Not out of restraint, but because there is no approved claim and no reliable evidence for it. If a supplier promises you something here, you now know how to interpret that.

This post serves as general information and does not replace medical advice.

Sources

1. European Parliament and Council (2004): Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, Annex III Section IX No. 1 (Definition of colostrum) as well as Chapter II Part I No. 1 b) and Part II (cooling, heat treatment). Consolidated version of 24.02.2022. eur-lex.europa.eu
2. Hurley, W. L.; Theil, P. K. (2011): Perspectives on Immunoglobulins in Colostrum and Milk. Nutrients 3(4), 442–474. doi.org/10.3390/nu3040442 (PMID 22254105)
3. Playford, R. J.; Cattell, M.; Marchbank, T. (2020): Marked variability in bioactivity between commercially available bovine colostrum for human use. PLoS ONE 15(6), e0234719. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234719
4. Elizondo-Salazar, J. A.; Jayarao, B. M.; Heinrichs, A. J. (2010): Effect of heat treatment of bovine colostrum on bacterial counts, viscosity, and immunoglobulin G concentration. Journal of Dairy Science 93(3), 961–967. doi.org/10.3168/jds.2009-2388 (PMID 20172216)
5. Blair, M.; Kellow, N. J.; Dordevic, A. L.; Evans, S.; Caissutti, J.; McCaffrey, T. A. (2020): Health Benefits of Whey or Colostrum Supplementation in Adults ≥35 Years; a Systematic Review. Nutrients 12(2), 299. doi.org/10.3390/nu12020299
6. Linehan, K.; Ross, R. P.; Stanton, C. (2023): Bovine Colostrum for Veterinary and Human Health Applications: A Critical Review. Annual Review of Food Science and Technology 14, 387–410. doi.org/10.1146/annurev-food-060721-014650
7. Godden, S. M.; Lombard, J. E.; Woolums, A. R. (2019): Colostrum Management for Dairy Calves. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice 35(3), 535–556. doi.org/10.1016/j.cvfa.2019.07.005 (PMID 31590901)

Further legal bases and literature

• McGrath, B. A.; Fox, P. F.; McSweeney, P. L. H.; Kelly, A. L. (2016): Composition and properties of bovine colostrum: a review. Dairy Science & Technology 96(2), 133–158. doi.org/10.1007/s13594-015-0258-x
• European Commission (2012): Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 – the annex does not contain an entry for colostrum. Consolidated version of 17/05/2021. eur-lex.europa.eu
• EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (2011): Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to bovine colostrum. EFSA Journal 9(4), 2048. doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2011.2048
• Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety: Food supplements – Notification procedure. bvl.bund.de
• EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (2010): Scientific Opinion on lactose thresholds in lactose intolerance and galactosaemia. EFSA Journal 8(9), 1777. doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1777
• European Parliament and Council (2011): Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 (FIC), Annex II No. 7 – Milk and products thereof (including lactose). eur-lex.europa.eu

Sources last checked on 17/09/2026.