When to Stop

• IgE-mediated milk allergy — true dairy allergy is a hard contraindication. Hives, swelling, anaphylaxis. Stop immediately and seek emergency care. People with known allergy to cow's milk protein should NOT trial colostrum even at low dose.
• Severe lactose intolerance — colostrum has lower lactose than standard milk powder (typically <2% by weight vs 4-5% in mature dairy) but not zero. Severely lactose-intolerant users may still have significant GI distress.
• Theoretical autoimmune concern (IgA nephropathy, lupus flares, autoimmune intestinal disease) — high passive immunoglobulin load might theoretically affect immune tone. No clinical data confirming harm; defer to specialist in active autoimmune disease.
• Microbial contamination — improperly processed colostrum can carry E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria, or Mycobacterium bovis. COA-backed vendors with pasteurization protocols avoid this. Avoid raw/unpasteurized colostrum products.
• Antibiotic residues / mycotoxin contamination — possible in conventional dairy supply chains. Premium brands test and disclose; cheap generics may not.
• Week 1-2: GI tolerance check. Bloating/gas/loose stool > 10 days = stop or switch product.
• Week 4-8: URTI frequency self-report vs baseline. If no observable URTI pattern change AND no gut symptom improvement, low-yield to continue past 8-12 weeks.
• Week 1-12: Skin check (acne) in users prone to dairy-mediated breakouts.
• Doses up to 60 g/day for 8 weeks have been studied without serious adverse events (Buckley 2003).
• 25 g/day × 12 weeks tolerated in the 2024 endurance-athlete trial with no safety flag (PMID 39497827).
• Higher doses are not common; protein/calorie load and cost become limiting before safety does.
• No documented hepatic, renal, or hematologic toxicity in adults at typical doses (10-60 g/day).
• No teratogenicity data; defer in pregnancy if uncertain (whole-food dairy is generally considered safe).
• WADA permitted (not on prohibited list).
• USADA does not flag standard OTC colostrum.
• Some products marketed as "hyper-IGF-1" or "growth-factor concentrated" have been flagged historically by anti-doping bodies — stick to standard OTC products to avoid this gray zone.
• Lactoferrin content is not a banned substance.
• Caveat: if Dylan ever moves into formal tested competition, switch to single-ingredient products with batch-certified COAs (NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Sport).