The Science Behind the $19 Million Colostrum Craze: Miracle Cure or Marketing Myth?

Colostrum supplements are exploding in popularity, fueled by celebrity endorsements and loose regulation. But what does the science actually say?

BY DANIELLE WIENER-BRONNER

Illustration: Inc; Photo: Getty Images

In a campy but highly-produced scene that Kourtney Kardashian Barker posted to Instagram this past November, Kim Kardashian—playing a prosecutor—accuses her sister of gatekeeping a product that made Barker’s skin glow. Barker responds that “jealousy isn’t grounds for litigation” and that, “for the record,” the product also improved her gut health and immune system. 

The supplement in question is Lemme Colostrum, a new offering from Barker’s vitamin and supplement brand Lemme. 

U.S. retail sales of colostrum supplements hit $19 million in the year through January 3rd. That’s up from a relatively meager $4 million in a similar period the year prior, according to data from market research firm NielsenIQ. 

Over the past few years, there’s been an increase in the dietary supplement market overall. In 2020, US retail sales of supplements were valued at $18 billion, according to another market research company, Euromonitor International, which isn’t tracking colostrum specifically. By 2025, supplement sales reached $23 billion, according to Euromonitor, a roughly 28 percent increase.

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“The wellness boom is reshaping the U.S. dietary supplements market,” said Sonali Jagadev, a senior analyst at Euromonitor. American consumers are interested in living longer, looking younger, and feeling better. And these days, reaching consumers is easier than ever, thanks to social media and the prevalence of online shopping. Supplement makers are cashing in by offering willing buyers a pill- or powder-based solution — even when there’s not much evidence to show it’ll work. 

Colostrum is a mother’s first milk, a substance that differs in consistency from breastmilk and is loaded with vitamins, protein, minerals and antibodies that help support nascent immune systems. 

Barker’s not the first to tout the benefits of colostrum supplements, a buzzy new category that has seen sales explode in recent months. Wellness influencers, companies selling colostrum supplements, which are sourced from cows, and celebrities from Tucker Carlson to Jennifer Aniston, have promoted the items and cited their benefits. 

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