NOW Foods Colostrum 500mg 120 Capsules

What it is

NOW Foods Colostrum 500 mg is a dietary supplement supplied as 120 capsules, with one capsule making up a single serving. The Supplement Facts panel declares exactly one active ingredient: Dried Bovine Colostrum Complex (BSE-free), 500 mg per capsule. The bottle's shoulder band files the product under NOW's "General Health" line, and the panel is signed "Family owned since 1968."

Colostrum itself is a food rather than a botanical extract. The label defines it in one sentence: the nourishing fluid produced by mammals as food for the newborn in the few days after birth, before milk production begins. The colostrum in this bottle is bovine — it comes from cattle — and because of that the panel carries a plain "Contains milk." statement. You can browse the rest of our supplements range alongside it.

What's inside

The panel is short, so it is worth reading line by line rather than skimming.

Dried Bovine Colostrum Complex (BSE-free), 500 mg. This is the whole of the "Amount Per Serving" section — one row, one number. "BSE-free" is printed as part of the ingredient name itself, as a sourcing designation; we transcribe it as it appears and do not interpret it further. The row carries a double asterisk pointing to the footnote "Daily Value not established", which is the panel's way of saying that no reference intake has been set for this ingredient, so no percentage can be shown beside it. That is a labeling fact about colostrum generally, not a comment on the amount in this capsule.

The seven other ingredients. Printed in full, they are: Hypromellose (cellulose capsule), Milk Protein Concentrate, Non-Fat Dry Milk, Stearic Acid (vegetable source), Silicon Dioxide, Sunflower Lecithin and Natural Vanilla Flavor. The panel assigns no role to any of them, so neither do we — but it is reasonable to want to know what they are:

• Hypromellose (cellulose capsule) — the shell. Hypromellose is derived from plant cellulose, which is why this capsule is not a gelatin one.
• Milk Protein Concentrate and Non-Fat Dry Milk — two further dairy-derived components, listed alongside the bovine colostrum itself. Between the three of them, "Contains milk." is not a trace-level caveat on this product; milk is central to what is in the capsule.
• Stearic Acid (vegetable source) — a saturated fatty acid found in many plant and animal fats; the parenthesis tells you which origin was used here.
• Silicon Dioxide — silica, the same compound that makes up sand and quartz, in food-grade powdered form.
• Sunflower Lecithin — a mixture of fats extracted from sunflower seeds. The panel names sunflower as the source rather than soy, which is consistent with soy appearing on this label's not-manufactured-with list.
• Natural Vanilla Flavor — a flavoring listed among the other ingredients; the capsule is not sold as a vanilla-flavored product.

If you want neutral background on how supplement labels are written and what a panel's footnotes mean, the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements publishes Dietary supplements: what you need to know, and the FDA keeps a general questions and answers page on dietary supplements. Neither refers to this product or endorses it; both are general reading about the category.

The panel prints no "Servings" row; the 120-serving figure used below is derived by arithmetic, not read off the label.

How to use it

The label's Suggested Usage reads: "Take 1 capsule 1 to 2 times daily as needed." That is the whole instruction — there is no timing window, no with-food or without-food direction, and no cycling schedule printed anywhere on the bottle. Storage is given separately as "Store in a cool, dry place after opening."

Two further notes come straight off the pack. The panel states that "Natural color variation may occur in this product", so the manufacturer has flagged shade differences in advance. And the usage face records that the bottle is made from 100% PCR — post-consumer recycled — resin.

Who it's for

This is a general dietary supplement for adults 18 and over, and the more useful question is who it is not for. The label is direct about that: "Avoid taking if lactose intolerant and/or sensitive to dairy products." With bovine colostrum, milk protein concentrate and non-fat dry milk all on the ingredient list, anyone avoiding dairy should pass on this one.

It is also not a vegan product, for the same reason — the declared ingredients are milk-derived. If you are comparing formats, note that this is the capsule presentation at a fixed 500 mg per serving, so there is nothing to scoop, measure or mix. Our wider health and wellness section carries the rest of the range.

Good to know

The bottle's caution block reads in full: "Consult physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition. Avoid taking if lactose intolerant and/or sensitive to dairy products. Keep out of reach of children."

On allergens, the panel states that the product is "not manufactured with yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients", and it immediately qualifies that: "Produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens." Both halves matter — the second is why this is not a suitable choice for anyone whose sensitivity requires a dedicated allergen-free facility. Milk, of course, is in the product by design.

The panel also carries the line "No synthetic growth hormones", and the bottle shows a GMP Quality Assured seal. If you take prescription medication or manage an ongoing condition, the label's own instruction is to speak to a physician first; the NCCIH publishes general guidance on supplement safety, and the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database lets you look up how products in this category are labeled. Neither link is specific to this item.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many capsules are in the bottle, and how many servings is that?

There are 120 capsules in the bottle, and the serving size is one capsule, which works out to 120 servings. The Supplement Facts panel prints no servings row, so that total comes from dividing the capsule count by the serving size. At the label's stated one-to-two capsules daily, a bottle represents roughly a 60- to 120-day supply.

Is this supplement dairy-free or suitable for vegans?

No — it is neither. The panel states "Contains milk.", and three of the listed ingredients are dairy-derived: the bovine colostrum itself, milk protein concentrate, and non-fat dry milk. The label specifically directs anyone who is lactose intolerant or sensitive to dairy to avoid the product.

What is the capsule shell made from?

The shell is hypromellose, printed on the panel as "Hypromellose (cellulose capsule)". Hypromellose is derived from plant cellulose rather than animal collagen, so there is no gelatin in this capsule — though the contents are still milk-derived.

Where is this product made?

It is made in the United States. The panel reads "Manufactured by NOW FOODS, 395 S. Glen Ellyn Rd., Bloomingdale, IL 60108, USA" and adds "Made and quality tested in the USA with globally sourced ingredients" — meaning the manufacturing and testing are domestic while the raw materials may be sourced internationally.

How is my order packaged?

Orders ship in plain, unbranded outer packaging. It will not show the Gear Isle name. The supplement bottle inside is the one described above, sealed as it left the manufacturer.

Product information compiled and reviewed by the Gear Isle product team. We transcribe supplement facts directly from manufacturer packaging. Found an error? Tell us.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Dietary supplement for adults 18 and over. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before use, especially if you have a medical condition, heart concerns, or take prescription medication (including nitrates). Keep out of reach of children.