A Dietitian’s Honest Review of ARMRA Colostrum

If you’re like me, you’ve probably seen ARMRA colostrum on your social media feed being promoted as a superfood. But is it worth the hype? 

As a registered dietitian, I’m going to break down the science behind colostrum for you to help you decide whether ARMRA colostrum is right for you. 

This blog post will provide an honest ARMRA colostrum review, including what the research says, who may or may not benefit, the cost, and whether I think it’s worth it.

What Is ARMRA Colostrum? 

ARMRA Colostrum is a dietary supplement made by the US based company ARMRA. It is a grass-fed and calf-first sourced bovine colostrum powder supplement. 

If you’re wondering: what does that actually mean? No worries, I’ve got you! 

In humans, colostrum is the first breast milk produced by the mammary glands after birth. Sometimes it’s referred to as “liquid gold” because of its golden yellow color. The benefits of colostrum on human health are well documented. As the first nutrition source, colostrum contains a high amount of antibodies, antioxidants, and essential nutrients to help strengthen the newborn baby’s immune system.

For other mammals, it’s not much different. Like most colostrum supplements for adults, ARMRA colostrum is sourced from cows, so it’s the first milk produced by a cow’s mammary glands (aka udders) after giving birth. 

ARMRA colostrum comes from grass-fed cows and calf-first sourced bovine colostrum. According to the ARMRA website, this means ARMRA only collects overflow colostrum, the surplus remaining after the calves are fully fed to receive all the vital nutrients they need. 

Ok, now that we know what ARMRA colostrum is, let’s talk about their health claims and whether there’s any research to back it up.

ARMRA Colostrum Health Claims

With just a quick scroll through social media, you’ll see some impressive health claims made on behalf of ARMRA colostrum. 

According to the ARMRA website, ARMRA colostrum can help to:

• Strengthen immunity
• Fortify gut health
• Ignite metabolism
• Enhance skin radiance
• Upgrade energy
• Fuel performance and recovery
• Vitalize hair growth
• Elevate mood and focus

ARMRA colostrum prides itself on being a colostrum concentrate, which is pure, potent and more bioavailable than other colostrum supplements. It claims to strengthen your skin, lung, and gut barriers, optimize your microbiome, and activate cellular health and performance to revive whole body health.

Additionally, ARMRA colostrum claims that it provides powerful benefits for your skin and hair with a host of over 400+ living, bioactive nutrients including antioxidants, whole food prebiotics, growth factors, vitamins, and regenerative peptides.

It also claims to restore digestive health since it fortifies all four layers of your gut mucosal barrier.

ARMRA also heavily markets itself to athletes for better athletic performance and fitness. Their website states that ARMRA colostrum is a natural powerhouse of over 400+ bioactive compounds that promote lean muscle growth and cell regeneration. It improves fitness, stamina, and endurance, and hastens recovery time, while the growth factors shift cellular metabolism from glucose towards fat, accelerating your body’s fat-burning capacity.

ARMRA also notes a self-conducted and self-funded study that found after taking ARMRA colostrum:

​

• 86% experienced less bloating
• 80% improved their lean muscle mass, strength, and endurance
• 79% grew thicker hair
• 76% reported less heartburn & reflux

This type of research really needs to be taken with a grain of salt since ARMRA obviously has some bias here.

The Research Behind Colostrum vs ARMRA Colostrum Claims

Ultimately, there are 4 big health claims that ARMRA is making: 

• Improved Hair and Skin Health
• Better Immunity + Immune Function
• Optimal Gut Health
• Improved Athletic Performance + Fitness

Let’s dive into what the research actually says on each of these fronts. 

Athletic Performance

Improved lean muscle mass, strength and endurance are some benefits that ARMRA colostrum boasts about. 

There has been some research that colostrum improves athletic performance, however, it’s typically seen with high doses of colostrum. 

Two small studies found that there wasn’t a significant improvement in athletic performance with a 3.2 gram dose of colostrum in male and female athletes (1, 2).

Another study found that athletic performance was improved after 8 weeks of supplementing with 60 grams of colostrum daily (3). 

For reference, ARMRA colostrum recommends 3 to 4 scoops of their colostrum, which is about 3 to 4 grams of colostrum…a far lower amount than what was used in these positive clinical trials. 

Gut Health

Another popular claim made by ARMRA colostrum is that it can improve gut health. It claims that people report less bloating, reflux and heartburn symptoms. ARMRA also claims that its colostrum can strengthen the gut mucosa barrier. 

Colostrum does contain certain nutrients that may improve the integrity of the gut lining, or gut mucosa barrier. You may have heard of the term leaky gut syndrome, or more commonly called just “leaky gut”. This is a popular term although it’s not recognized as a real medical diagnosis. Instead, intestinal permeability is what people are typically referring to when they mention “leaky gut”. 

Intestinal permeability is the ability of the intestinal barrier to control what passes through the gut wall and into the body. A healthy intestine is semi-permeable, allowing nutrients to pass through while keeping out harmful particles. However, some people have increased intestinal permeability which can allow larger molecules to pass through. 

Increased intestinal permeability may be linked to other medical conditions or digestive issues.

Several research studies have found that colostrum can reduce, and even reverse, intestinal permeability among athletes. A 2022 systematic review noted that vigorous exercise profoundly increases intestinal permeability and that bovine colostrum supplementation helps to reverse this permeability in athletes. 

Another 2021 narrative acknowledged that bovine colostrum likely has a positive impact on healing the mucosal barrier and that there’s substantial evidence that it can positively improve symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

While this research is really promising, most clinical trials usually used higher doses of 20 to 60 grams of colostrum per day. Again, ARMRA colostrum is about 3 to 4 grams of colostrum daily if you’re taking 3 to 4 scoops per day.

Hair & Skin Health

There’s not much significant research on whether bovine colostrum supplementation can improve hair health or skin health. 

When we think about it logically though, we do know that colostrum can promote collagen production in our bodies. Collagen is a key component for strengthening and maintaining your hair and skin. 

Bovine colostrum does also contain various vitamins and minerals that can improve skin and hair health, such as B vitamins, calcium and zinc.

Immune Health 

There are many claims that colostrum can boost your immunity and improve your immune system. 

Colostrum of any kind is rich in antibodies and immunoglobulins. These nutrients are intended to provide a new baby with some immunity as they enter the world. So yes, colostrum can improve immune function. 

A 2021 systematic review found that bovine colostrum supplements did improve immune response and immune function. It showed that colostrum supplements decreased the risk of upper respiratory infections in athletes. It didn’t find conclusive benefits for children or older adults though. 

Inflammation

An interesting effect of colostrum is that it does have anti-inflammatory effects. It contains immunoglobulins and antioxidants that can help to lower inflammation. 

Two studies found that 3.2 grams of bovine colostrum did lower inflammation (1, 2).

Chronic inflammation is at the core of many common health issues such as type 2 diabetes, autoimmune diseases, PCOS, heart disease, arthritis, and obesity. This may make colostrum supplements particularly advantageous for those who struggle with these types of inflammatory conditions. 

Dosage & Side Effects of ARMRA Colostrum

ARMRA colostrum is available in jars with a scoop or in convenient travel sticks. Each option is available in blood orange, vine watermelon, or an unflavored option.

One serving of ARMRA colostrum is 1 scoop or 1 travel stick. ARMRA recommends working your way up to taking 2 to 4 scoops per day. There’s some discrepancy as the jars and sticks recommend 2 to 3 servings (aka 2 to 3 scoops daily), but, the “How To Use” section of the website recommends 4 scoops per day.

To take this colostrum supplement, ARMRA advises that you mix it into a cold liquid or cold food, such as water or yogurt. It cannot be mixed into hot foods or liquids or you risk breaking down the active compounds. Alternatively, some people prefer to just scoop the colostrum powder directly into their mouths.

While side effects are rare, potential side effects include gastrointestinal discomfort such as nausea, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation. 

ARMRA claims to be low in lactose and casein-free, citing that it’s suitable for those with lactose intolerance or a dairy allergy. However, there are some reviews reporting opposite testimonials, including allergic reactions. For anyone with lactose intolerance or a dairy allergy, always consult with your healthcare provider before starting a colostrum supplement, including ARMRA colostrum.

Pros of ARMRA Colostrum

• Third-Party Testing.The supplement industry is not regulated like the food industry is. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate or approve of any dietary supplements, their labeling, or health claims. It’s not uncommon to find supplements on the market that don’t actually have what they’re advertising inside their supplements. Thankfully, ARMRA Colostrum is third party tested for purity and quality. In fact, ARMRA states that they use the strictest quality control standards and undergo extensive 3rd party testing.

• High Quality & Standards. ARMRA seems to value quality and purity for its product. It appears invested in protecting animal welfare by taking a calf-first approach. ARMRA also uses low temperature processing in an attempt to retain as many nutrients as possible. 

• Nutrient Dense Colostrum. Colostrum is known to be nutrient dense naturally, and ARMRA colostrum is not an exception. 

• Pay with HSA or FSA Funds. For those who have access to FSA or HSA funds, they can be used on ARMRA Colostrum by checking out through a third party company called TrueMed.

Cons of ARMRA Colostrum

• Possibly Inadequate Dosage. While the research on bovine colostrum supplements is limited, many of the studies that show benefits used much higher doses of 20 to 60 grams per day. If you were to try to take this much of ARMRA colostrum, you’d be consuming up to half of the jar per day! 

• Food Allergies. ARMRA colostrum is made from bovine colostrum. Therefore, it contains dairy and is not a good option for those who are following a plant based diet or dairy free diet. Additionally, although it claims to be OK for lactose intolerance, I’d recommend exercising caution if you are lactose intolerant.

• Customer Service. Since colostrum is classified as a food product, if you purchase a jar of ARMRA bovine colostrum, you are not able to return it if you’ve opened it. The sticks are returnable if they’re unopened. So essentially, if you do not have a great customer experience, there is not a money back guarantee if the product has been opened. 

• Cost. This is the biggest con in my opinion: the cost. ARMRA colostrum has positioned itself as a premium colostrum supplement, which is reflected in its price. The cost of 1 jar of ARMRA colostrum is $109.99. There is a subscribe & save option where you can save a little money and purchase 1 jar for $104.99. There are 120 scoops in each container. At first glance, it may seem like 1 jar of ARMRA colostrum will last you for 4 months, however, it’s recommended to work your way up to 4 scoops per day. If you take the recommended 4 scoops per day, 1 jar would only last you 1 month. 

Is ARMRA Colostrum Worth It? My ARMRA Review

Whether or not ARMRA colostrum is worth it to you will depend on a few factors. 

First, there is research to support the claims that ARMRA is making. However, most research studies that did find the most potent benefits used significantly higher doses of colostrum daily. Research studies often used 20 to 60 grams of colostrum per day…compare that to 1 gram of colostrum per scoop or ARMRA. ARMRA does recommend up to 4 scoops per day, which would be about 4 grams of colostrum total per day. 

Since this is a huge difference in dosage, it’s questionable as to whether ARMRA colostrum can really deliver the real impact and outcomes that it claims.

That said, the health risk of trying ARMRA colostrum is relatively low…meaning you may see a benefit or you may not see a benefit, but you probably won’t have any disastrous health outcomes.

Another factor you need to consider is the cost. This is not a cheap supplement. You will likely be shelling out over $100 USD every month for ARMRA colostrum. 

If money isn’t a factor for you, maybe you could give this supplement a go if you’re interested. It’s a quality product that may offer you some benefits. 

If money is something that is making this product seem out of reach, I wouldn’t stress it. As a dietitian, I think that there are many other health habits, like healthy eating and stress management, that can really improve your overall health without the need for fancy, premium supplements. 

Finally, the customer reviews are mixed depending on whether you’re searching on social media, the ARMRA website, or Amazon. 

The Bottom Line

ARMRA colostrum is made by the US based company ARMRA. It is a premium bovine colostrum supplement that prides itself on its impressive manufacturing practices.

ARMRA colostrum claims that it can improve athletic performance, gut health, hair and skin health, immunity, energy levels, and metabolism.

While there is validity to some of the claims that ARMRA makes, there are significant differences between the dosage that ARMRA provides and the dosage that scientific research usually uses. 

Research studies usually found benefits when using 20 to 60 grams of colostrum daily. If you take the higher dose that ARMRA recommends, which is 4 scoops per day, it provides 4 grams of colostrum. 

One big barrier though is the cost. This supplement will likely cost you at least $100 per month for ARMRA’s recommended dose…which is still significantly less than what research studies have found to have a beneficial effect.

Whether ARMRA colostrum can actually deliver on its health benefits is up in the air. You may see some benefits or you may not. The health risks of trying this supplement are relatively low though if you were really interested in trying it. 

Disclaimer: this is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to substitute for or replace professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider prior to starting any dietary supplements. 

Other Supplement Reviews 

Gruns Daily Gummies: A Dietitian’s Honest Review

Nello Super Calm Drink Mix Review

A Dietitian’s Review of Unicity Balance: Scam or Not? 

Mixhers Hertime & Metabolic Balance Review