Quick answer

No official source gives a safety statement for colostrum supplements in children, and a 2021 review described conflicting results in children. FDA says raw milk illness especially affects children and teenagers, and colostrum from the cow is raw milk until it is pasteurized. Colostrum also holds milk proteins and lactose. Ask your child's doctor first.^1,2

Key facts

A 2021 systematic review of 28 papers described conflicting results for bovine colostrum in children and little evidence in older adults.¹
FDA cites CDC findings that foodborne illness from raw milk especially affects children and teenagers.²
A 2024 review of colostrum in children said precise standards for age, feeding time and amount are still needed, and that allergic reactions to caseins and immunoglobulin E must be considered.³
WADA does not prohibit colostrum, but since 2013 it has advised athletes against it because its growth factors could affect a doping test.⁴
No upper limit has been set for colostrum, and most human trials used 10 to 20 g a day.⁴

What do reviews say about colostrum in children?

The 2021 systematic review covered studies of bovine colostrum in sick and healthy people, by several routes, and found the studies highly varied in who took part, what they took and how well they were run. It described conflicting results in children and noted that little is known about use in older adults.¹

A 2024 review that focused on infants and children called colostrum a trending ingredient in pediatric nutrition, but it did not settle the safety question. Its authors said precise standards for age, feeding time and amount are still needed to ensure safety and efficacy, that allergic reactions to caseins and immunoglobulin E must be considered, and that colostrum should be added to supplements with caution.³

The 2024 review also covers preterm infants who need special care, a hospital setting that answers different questions from a parent's question about a powder bought for a healthy child.³

What does FDA say about raw milk and young people?

FDA's page on raw milk says the germs it can carry, such as Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria and Campylobacter, are especially dangerous for children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems. It also cites CDC's finding that foodborne illness from raw milk especially affects children and teenagers, and says unpasteurized milk is a high risk choice while pasteurized milk is low risk.²

Raw milk, which has not been pasteurized, can carry harmful germs such as Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria and Campylobacter, and so can foods made from it. Colostrum straight from the cow is raw milk until someone pasteurizes it. The germs can be especially dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, children, older adults and pregnant women.^2,5

The sources do not tell us whether any supplement powder is raw. Reviewers note that commercial products differ in processing and pasteurization, so a parent cannot assume.⁵

Could milk proteins or lactose cause a problem?

Colostrum keeps the proteins of cow's milk, including beta-lactoglobulin, a major trigger of cow's milk allergy that is not found in human milk.⁵

Colostrum contains lactose, about 2 to 3% of fresh colostrum against about 5% in mature milk.⁵

MedlinePlus says people who cannot digest lactose may get gas, diarrhea and swelling in the stomach after foods with it. FDA adds that both raw and pasteurized milk can cause allergic reactions in people who are sensitive to milk proteins.^2,6

What about teens who play sports?

WADA does not prohibit colostrum, but since 2013 it has advised athletes against it because its growth factors could affect a doping test.⁴

Most human trials of colostrum used 10 to 20 g a day, and no source we read gives an amount for a child or a teen. A teen in drug-tested sport should ask a doctor and the sport's anti-doping organization, given the WADA advice above.⁴

Who should ask their child's doctor first?

A parent considering colostrum for a child or a teen should ask the child's doctor, because no official source gives a safety statement for it in young people.
A parent of a child with a milk allergy should ask the doctor, because colostrum keeps cow's milk proteins.⁵
A parent of a child who is lactose intolerant should ask the doctor, because colostrum contains some lactose.⁵
A parent of a child with a weakened immune system should ask the doctor, because raw milk germs are more dangerous for them.

Questions people ask

Is colostrum safe for kids?

No official source gives a safety statement for colostrum supplements in children, and a 2021 review described conflicting results in children. Ask your child's doctor before giving it.¹

Is colostrum safe for teens?

No source we read reports teens on their own. FDA says raw milk illness especially affects children and teenagers, so the question of pasteurization matters. Ask a doctor.²

Is colostrum good for teens?

This page covers safety only. A 2021 review said results in children are conflicting, and a 2024 review said standards for age and amount are still needed.^1,3

Is raw milk safe for teens?

FDA's page on raw milk is a warning that unpasteurized milk can pose a serious health risk. It cites CDC findings that illness from raw milk especially affects children and teenagers.²

Is milk safe for kids?

FDA lists pasteurized milk as a low risk choice and unpasteurized milk as a high risk choice. Ask your child's doctor about milk allergy or lactose intolerance.²

See what we make

Every product shows its whole label and what its lab report covers. The store opens soon.

See the Full Measure line

Sources

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.