ARMRA Review [2024] | Our testing experience (2024)

If you regularly experience concerns about your well-being, you should know you're not alone. We all experience aches and illnesses, after all, and the desire for better health is only natural. To that end, many people strive to exercise, eat better, and cut out the bad stuff from their lives. And some of them turn to supplements to help them along their health journey.

One category of supplements gaining more attention recently is colostrum. Colostrum is the initial milk secretion that lactating mammals produce for their offspring. Seeing as more than 83% of infants start out on breast milk, chances are that you've consumed colostrum at some point in your life.1

In its raw state, colostrum is a fluid that's rich in the compounds needed for newborns to develop their immune systems. As a supplement for human use, it's typically bovine colostrum dried into a powder and mixed into cold liquids or foods. ARMRA is one of the few companies on the market that specializes in this supplement. We tried ARMRA's colostrum powders ourselves to help you determine whether it might have a place in your health and wellness regimen.

ARMRA's bovine colostrum products include high concentrations of bioactive compounds supported by research to potentially improve gut health, immune health, and performance recovery — though at a steeper-than-normal cost. ARMRA uses a low-temperature pasteurization method to preserve the composition of these compounds, which is consistent with studies on temperature's impact on colostrum’s most important nutrients. Also, from our research, the quantity of helpful compounds found in Immune Revival and Performance Revival seems sufficient to produce biochemical reactions in the body to ward off pathogens, reduce inflammation, or delay fatigue.

Why you should trust us

Over the past two decades, Innerbody Research has helped tens of millions of readers make more informed decisions involving staying healthy and living healthier lifestyles.

To give you a complete view of ARMRA's health applications, efficacy, and safety, our team spent over 60 collective hours closely examining more than 40 studies, reviews, and various unbiased sources on bovine colostrum and the other ingredients found in ARMRA's colostrum products. Where applicable, we reached out to ARMRA and its direct competitors to verify areas of uncertainty. What's more, we performed hands-on testing — including tasting the various flavors — to familiarize ourselves with the products and the ARMRA customer experience.

Additionally, like all health-related content on this website, this review was thoroughly vetted by one or more members of our Medical Review Board for accuracy.

How we evaluated ARMRA

To evaluate ARMRA, we centered on factors that would normally influence our decision when trying a supplement: efficacy, cost, safety, and customer experience. We considered taste to be a key criterion, too, as ARMRA's use as a food or drink additive means its flavor is likely to affect your overall impression.

Efficacy

Rating: 8.8 / 10

The generally accepted metric for determining colostrum efficacy is a minimum 5% concentration of Immunoglobulin G (IgG), an essential protein for building one's overall immunity. In response to a customer question on Amazon, ARMRA states its colostrum products have an IgG concentration greater than 40%, but a response we received through the company’s customer support portal indicated "no less than 35%." In either case, a single serving of ARMRA is well above the 5% standard for efficacy in providing colostrum’s purported health benefits, such as improved gut and immune health.20 Compared to competitors, it has more theoretical efficacy than Miracle Moo (30% IgG) but potentially not as much as WonderCow or Adapt Naturals (both 40% IgG).

We should mention, too, that ARMRA claims its colostrum contains high concentrations of immunoglobulin A (IgA), which is critical for fighting off pathogens in mucosal linings, like in the intestines and lungs.19 While a high IgA concentration would support ARMRA's claims that its products support immune and gut health, the company doesn’t specify how much IgA its colostrum contains — for that matter, neither do Miracle Moo or WonderCow — so we can’t say for certain whether ARMRA’s IgA concentration is higher or lower than its competitors’.

ARMRA's Performance Revival formula also contains ingredients that show promise for use among athletes. Namely, black cumin and tart cherry have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which may help delay the fatigue and reduce the inflammation commonly associated with strenuous activity.25 26 Tart cherry may also promote sleep health by elevating the body's levels of melatonin, a molecule that regulates sleep patterns.27 None of ARMRA's direct or indirect competitors offer a product formulated for these results.

Cost

Rating: 7.5 / 10

Cost is a common complaint among ARMRA customers, and the company's products are decidedly more expensive than those of most competitors on a per-gram, subscription basis. At its discounted subscription price, ARMRA's 120g Unflavored Immune Revival bulk jar comes in at $104.49, which amounts to $0.87 per gram. Only one competitor, Elm & Rye, costs as much. Other competitors range from around $0.4 to $0.75 per gram when you subscribe.

Having said that, we acknowledge that ARMRA has several distinguishing characteristics that may justify the higher price tag for some buyers. One is that ARMRA is pretty transparent about its colostrum's bioactive composition, which may give you a more assured sense of how well it may work toward your health goals. Another is that its products have no casein, so they're suitable for people with a casein allergy. And a third factor is variety; ARMRA's product line includes a wider range of flavors than any of its competitors (with some limited-edition choices), plus a performance-oriented formulation that’s unique to the company.

Safety

Rating: 9.2 / 10

Because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn't regulate supplements before they hit the market, we must look to scientific research to evaluate a product's safety. To date, no studies indicate that bovine colostrum poses specific dangers to the general public.

The primary concern surrounding ARMRA has to do with allergies to casein and whey, the two main proteins in dairy products. ARMRA — like its competitor WonderCow — claims to remove casein from its products during pasteurization, so it may be safe to use for people with a casein allergy (though you should first speak with a doctor or nutritionist for their guidance). But if you’re allergic to whey, you should refrain from using ARMRA and other colostrum products to avoid the risk of anaphylaxis.

Lactose is another concern, but a less worrisome one. A serving of ARMRA contains only 1g of lactose, whereas people with lactose intolerance can often tolerate up to 12 times as much.8 With that said, the best approach for lactose intolerant users is to be cautious and take a lactase supplement to prevent potential discomfort.

However, flavored ARMRA products do contain ingredients apart from colostrum (e.g., annatto extract, dragon fruit, stevia). These particular products may cause mild-to-severe symptoms in people with related allergies or intolerances, for whom the Unflavored variant would be the better (or only) choice.

Company practices can also indicate a product's overall safety, and ARMRA appears solid in this regard. For example, its colostrum is manufactured in FDA-registered facilities in compliance with Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs), which assures adequately controlled operations and a product that meets standards of "identity, strength, quality, and purity."2 ARMRA also claims to audit every production, and its colostrum is sent for testing at third-party ISO/IEC-certified laboratories before being made available for purchase. Compare that with Miracle Moo, for which a recent class-action lawsuit casts doubt on the company’s claims of testing its products.45

Taste

Rating: 8.9 / 10

Seeing as ARMRA is meant to be mixed into food or drinks, its taste is likely to play a significant part in your enjoyment. Fortunately, ARMRA does well on this front, and not only because its flavor line is more diverse than that of any competitor. The Unflavored variant tastes about equal to other colostrum powders — faintly milky, kind of savory — which is no knock on it. We think most users will find it a decent complement to smoothies and certain dishes. WonderCow, in comparison, has a similar taste that leans ever so slightly toward “sweet,” and we enjoyed it best in other products containing milk or milk alternatives.

ARMRA’s Blood Orange and Vine Watermelon flavors are quite tasty in water alone, and we enjoyed sipping them. The only product that didn't appeal to our tastes was Performance Revival. Available in Chocolate only, it has a bitterness and strong stevia flavor that may not be pleasurable to everyone’s palate. The flavor also limits what it can be mixed in.

Customer experience

Rating: 9.5 / 10

Whether it was ordering, managing our subscription, or corresponding with a representative, ARMRA provided us with an excellent customer experience.

Ordering from ARMRA (and competitors, like WonderCow) is a straightforward process, similar to other online shopping experiences. You select your products, provide your address, and input your payment. Between ordering and order delivery, ARMRA made a point of keeping us engaged through a series of eight emails — four informational ones and four delivery notifications. We appreciated the effort, as we'd rather have more information than not enough.

We also found that subscription management was equally straightforward. The ARMRA dashboard is easy to navigate and displays options to pause or cancel your subscription near the bottom of the page. If you cancel your subscription, ARMRA will offer ways to retain it, but these barriers are understandable, minor, and quick to hurdle.

Finally, a word on customer support. Part of our research into ARMRA involved reaching out to customer service representatives to learn more about the company's products. Each exchange ended satisfactorily and within a matter of hours. We can't say the same about at least one competitor, Miracle Moo, which took longer to respond to our queries and provided somewhat oblique responses.

What is ARMRA?

Founded in 2020, ARMRA is a Florida-based health brand specializing in powdered bovine colostrum supplements. Colostrum is the first form of breast milk that mammals produce 2-4 days after giving birth. It differs from mature milk in not only its thicker consistency and rich yolky color but also its composition. Specifically, it has higher levels of essential compounds that support a newborn's physical and immunological development.3 4 As a supplement for human use, bovine colostrum is generally suitable for people of all ages. Because of its potential health benefits, it falls under the broad and nebulous category of “superfood.”

Aside from branded merchandise, carafes, and frothers, ARMRA's product line comprises two dissolvable powders:

Whereas Performance Revival comes exclusively in a 120g bulk jar, you can purchase Immune Revival in either a jar or a 30-count box of travel-size packets — similar to WonderCow.

A serving size of ARMRA is 1g, which amounts to one scoop of bulk powder or one stick pack. You may want to start at a single serving per day, but you're free to increase your dosage as tolerated. For reference, a 2003 review by neuropathic doctor Gregory S. Kelly found that positive trials of colostrum dosage used 10g per day for treating or preventing diseases and 60g per day for athletic performance.5

ARMRA’s pasteurization method

A point of distinction that ARMRA advertises is that it uses a proprietary low-heat pasteurization method called “Cold-Chain BioPotent” to concentrate its colostrum's nutrients and optimize absorption.

Now, as with milk, pasteurization is necessary to neutralize the naturally occurring pathogens in colostrum. One method of pasteurization takes the colostrum above 160 degrees Fahrenheit to eradicate the pathogens in a matter of seconds. The alternative is to hold it around 140 degrees for a longer time, a method broadly known as low-temperature long-time (LTLT) pasteurization.44 ARMRA's Cold-Chain BioPotent method would lean toward the latter.

A 2023 meta-analysis in the Journal of Dairy Science, which examined 45 peer-reviewed articles published between 1946 and 2022, seems to support a connection between LTLT pasteurization and superior nutrient delivery. The researchers found that newborn calves that were fed colostrum treated below the 140-degree threshold had higher serum IgG concentrations, which suggests a higher likelihood of imparting immunological benefits.6

Sourcing initiatives

ARMRA proclaims that it follows "responsible sourcing practices" for its colostrum, which means:

• Its colostrum comes from grass-fed cows on family-owned U.S. farms.
• The company follows a calf-first initiative, in which baby calves have first dibs on the colostrum, and only the surplus is used to make supplements.

This approach, which is similar to WonderCow's, is meant to drive sustainability in sourcing by preventing harm to the calves that need colostrum to thrive and reducing product waste.

ARMRA’s brand reputation

ARMRA seems to have a complex brand reputation. Its page with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), active since 2023, reveals a low customer rating, a smattering of customer complaints, and a lack of BBB accreditation. At the same time, its Amazon pages boast high ratings and generally favorable experiences. So, to get a more accurate picture of how customers really view the company, we should take a closer look at each of these sources.

As of April 2024, ARMRA's BBB page indicates a total of 13 customer reviews, each with a one-star rating. The complaints primarily center on the inability to cancel subscriptions or the absence of a refund policy — claims that aren't entirely inconsistent with our research, as you'll see in a later section. There are also a total of 26 customer complaints, most of them relating to being overcharged, charged after cancellation, or charged without having completed an order. ARMRA has responded to each of the viewable complaints with mostly satisfactory results. The conclusion we might make here is that ARMRA is susceptible to errors but is also willing to work with customers to resolve them.

On Amazon, ARMRA features a few product pages for its Immune Revival colostrum supplement. At the time of this writing, the Stick Pack from ARMRA has earned a 4.1 overall rating across 2,399 reviews, while the 120g bulk jar has a 4.1 rating from 66 reviews (ratings and review numbers are subject to quick changes). The negative reviews largely relate to adverse reactions (e.g., stomach pain, headaches) or a lack of results, whereas the positive reviews describe improvements in areas such as energy and gut health. So, customer satisfaction seems to depend on efficacy, which may depend largely on the user and their individual susceptibility.

Of note, high cost is a common complaint among both satisfied and dissatisfied customers. We discuss the topic further in the section "How much does ARMRA cost?"

Who might benefit from taking ARMRA (and who should look elsewhere)?

Given colostrum's broad purported health benefits, anyone looking to enhance their physical, cognitive, or aesthetic health may benefit from using ARMRA's Immune Revival, while the company's Performance Revival formula is more geared toward athletes. Target audiences aside, both products aim to address these key areas:

• Gut and gastrointestinal health
• Metabolism
• Energy
• Stamina and endurance
• Post-performance recovery
• Focus
• Skin health

Being a low-fuss powder supplement, ARMRA may appeal to those who aren't keen on following an overly strict supplement regimen. You should take it daily, but the time of day doesn't matter. Plus, since it mixes into food or liquids, it should integrate pretty easily into your existing diet. However, ARMRA does advise users not to mix their powder into hot substances, as high heat can alter the bioactive compounds and decrease efficacy. Cold, cool, or lukewarm is the way to go.

ARMRA's target audience includes people who are dairy intolerant. The company’s patented Cold Chain BioPotent pasteurization method purportedly results in a colostrum free of casein, one of the two milk proteins that can cause allergic reactions.7 As a result, ARMRA may be a better option for those with casein allergies, but we still recommend speaking with your doctor first. Also, ARMRA does still contain whey (the other milk allergen protein), so don't take it if you're allergic to that.

What's more, even as a dairy product, ARMRA contains only 1g of lactose per half teaspoon. Per the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, many people with lactose intolerance can handle up to 12g of lactose at a time.8 Hence, they may be able to consume even large servings of ARMRA without any discomfort.

That being said, some people are more severely lactose intolerant than others. If even trace amounts of lactose are enough to trigger your symptoms, you may be better off either taking a lactase supplement along with ARMRA or avoiding colostrum products altogether.

Other populations who may want to avoid using a bovine colostrum supplement include:

How does ARMRA work?

Both of ARMRA's supplement products consist of concentrated bovine colostrum, which has a biochemical makeup similar to that of humans. In its natural state, colostrum is like a vaccine for newborns. It contains heaps of bioactive compounds that, when consumed, help establish passive immunity — when antibodies are transferred into a body rather than produced by the body's immune system.11 Ingested as a powdered supplement like ARMRA, colostrum may impart a wide range of physical improvements by introducing more of these compounds to the body. As outlined in two reviews from 2019 and 2023, bovine colostrum could be specifically useful in the following areas of health and wellness:12 13

• Balancing the gut microbiome
• Protection against drug-induced injuries (e.g., anti-inflammatories)
• Protection against traveler's diarrhea
• Fortification against intestinal inflammation
• Fighting infections
• Therapies for cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases, and diarrhea
• Performance and immune function recovery after high-intensity exercise
• Reducing skin inflammation
• Stimulating skin repair

One 2014 study found that colostrum supplementation in older adults (median age around 59) resulted in improved cognitive function over eight weeks.14 However, it’s worth noting that participants received 60g of colostrum per day, much higher than most users are likely to consume with ARMRA (60g of colostrum would be half a jar of Immune Revival).

An earlier study, performed on rats induced with intracerebral hemorrhage, showed that subjects receiving daily intragastric injections of just 0.4g/kg of colostrum had smaller brain hemorrhage lesions and less short-term memory impairment.15 The human equivalent dose would be 0.06g/kg, but we can’t say for certain how much liquid colostrum a single serving of ARMRA would be equivalent to. More research studies in the future will be useful in closing this gap in knowledge, but if we (for the time being) consider it the same as powdered colostrum, then it’d be equivalent to a dose of 9g for a 150lb human or 12g for a 200lb one.

Key bioactive compounds in ARMRA

Bovine colostrum contains hundreds of potentially helpful compounds, but the bioactive ingredients associated with health improvements are:4

Additional ingredients in ARMRA Performance Revival

ARMRA's Performance Revival is a formula tailored to athletes. While offering the same amount of bovine colostrum concentrate as Immune Revival, it features three additional ingredients alleged to enhance performance and post-exercise recovery:

How much does ARMRA cost?

ARMRA gives you the choice between a one-time purchase and an autoship subscription. Here’s a quick breakdown of how that affects pricing:

Opting for a subscription nets you a 5% discount per purchase, which is low compared to most competitors (WonderCow, for example, takes 15% off for subscriptions).

ARMRA subscribers can set their delivery frequency to 15, 30, 45, or 60 days (the default is 30). You can also set a specific date for your next delivery and pause your deliveries without penalty. Your delivery frequency won't affect your pricing, though product type, form factor, and flavor will.

The prices in the table above don't include shipping. ARMRA does flat-rate shipping through USPS but also offers upgraded shipping options via FedEx. Shipping is free for orders of $80 or more.

Aside from its individual colostrum products, ARMRA offers several bundles that feature various product combinations at discount rates. For this review, we were also able to take advantage of a limited-time Welcome Kit deal that included:

• One jar of Unflavored Immune Revival
• One jar of Performance Revival
• One free carafe
• One free Travel Pack (a Stick Pack with Unflavored, Blood Orange, and Vine Watermelon flavors)

Payment methods

Aside from credit cards, ARMRA allows customers to purchase its products through a generous range of payment options:

• PayPal
• Shop Pay
• Google Pay
• Klarna
• Cryptocurrency
• HSA/FSA

That ARMRA accepts cryptocurrency is a point of distinction; you don’t see it often in the supplements space, and certainly not from competitors WonderCow and Miracle Moo. ARMRA specifically accepts Ether, the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum blockchain technology. To pay with Ether, select Coinbase Commerce as your payment method during checkout and then complete the transaction through the Coinbase platform to which you’re redirected. Keep in mind, however, that only one-time purchases, not subscriptions, are eligible for crypto payment.

The HSA/FSA option is another differentiator relative to WonderCow and Miracle Moo. To pay with your HSA/FSA, check out as a guest, choose Truemed as your payment method, and then input your information.

ARMRA's return and refund policy

ARMRA's return policy has some caveats. All Stick Packs are refundable, even if you've opened the box (although you can’t return individual sticks that you’ve opened). For bulk jars, however, only unopened items are eligible for returns. That's because ARMRA colostrum is a food product, and accepting an opened container would violate the company’s health code. The one exception would be in the case of an order that arrives opened because of damage. In that situation, you should immediately reach out to ARMRA so customer service can evaluate your case.

To initiate a domestic return, you’ll need to email the company to request a return shipping label within 30 days of receiving your order. Along with the label, ARMRA will provide instructions on where and how to return the package. You should then receive a refund within ten to 15 days from the time the return package arrives at ARMRA's warehouse, minus a $6 fee for processing your return. International returns follow the same procedure, but the customer bears the responsibility for return shipping costs.

If you want to return your product, it’s critical that you follow this protocol. Otherwise, ARMRA will designate your case as an "unauthorized return" and deny you a refund.

Canceling your ARMRA autoship subscription

Canceling your ARMRA autoship subscription is a simple process that you can manage entirely online.

To begin, log in to your account and scroll to the bottom of the dashboard to locate the "Cancel Subscription" button. When you click the button, a pop-up will ask for your reason for cancellation. Choose whichever one best describes your circ*mstances.

If you select "Product is too expensive," ARMRA will encourage you to retain your subscription with a $5 coupon toward your next autoship delivery. If you deny the coupon, ARMRA will then recommend that you pause your order instead (a proposition that arises with other cancellation options, too). If you deny that, your cancellation will go through and ARMRA will send you an email to confirm.

Bear in mind that you can only cancel future deliveries. ARMRA won't cancel or modify your order if your next delivery has already been processed.

Non-supplement products by ARMRA

ARMRA's product line also includes several non-supplement merchandise items:

• 350ml borosilicate carafe: $32.99
• Electric frother: $24.99
• White cotton tote bag with black strap and black "ARMRA" lettering: $28.99
• Off-white crewneck sweatshirt with "Got Colostrum?" across the chest: $65.99
• Light blue T-shirt with "High on IgG" in puffed paint lettering: $45.99

The first two items have some utility, certainly. The carafes are good for shaking up your colostrum drink and sipping on the go, and the frothers (an item offered by Miracle Moo and WonderCow, too) can quickly whip your colostrum powder into your chosen liquid. As for the others, their value is yours to determine. The tote bag is handsome enough, while the tops are playful and sufficiently brand-anonymous to incorporate well into your everyday wardrobe.

How does ARMRA taste?

A wide range of flavors is one of ARMRA's distinguishing characteristics. Whereas WonderCow and Miracle Moo each offer just two flavor varieties, ARMRA's product line includes four (with an occasional seasonal limited-edition fifth flavor):

• Unflavored (Immune Revival)
• Blood Orange (Immune Revival)
• Vine Watermelon (Immune Revival)
• Chocolate (Performance Revival)

The Unflavored Immune Revival tastes similar to just about any standard colostrum powder. Stirred into water, it's mildly savory with a character reminiscent of buttermilk. The flavor isn't unpleasant and may even do double-duty as a palatability enhancer for your next breakfast (one might imagine it stirred into a bowl of cooled oats, for example). In comparison, WonderCow’s unflavored offering has a slightly sweeter profile — not sugary, but “sweet” in the way milk is sweet — which mixes better with foods and beverages that already have dairy in them.

Blood Orange reminded our testers of sugar-free orange Jell-O, a quality made possible by ARMRA’s addition of natural blood orange flavor, stevia leaf extract, and citric acid. It's tart but not sour, and we agreed that a glassful of Blood Orange ARMRA water is quite enjoyable.

Vine Watermelon is downright tasty and by far our favorite of the line. It gave us the taste impression of watered-down watermelon candy. It, too, includes natural flavoring and stevia leaf extract but also malic acid, the likely source of the flavor's subtle and appealing sourness.

Compared to the Immune Revival flavor options, the Chocolate-only Performance Revival wasn't as well-received. In truth, it's our testers' least favorite. Bitterness from the cacao is to be expected, but it also has a very strong stevia flavor, which itself may contribute to this flavor’s astringency. Performance Revival is unlikely to be a pleasure drink unless you're a fan of bittersweet flavor profiles.

Is ARMRA safe?

Colostrum powders should be generally safe to use for most adults. The most likely adverse health effects are among those with dairy intolerances. If you can't properly digest lactose, a high enough dose of ARMRA may cause temporary gut pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea, or nausea.28 If you have a milk or whey allergy, you should avoid colostrum supplements altogether, as even a small amount can cause anaphylaxis.7 ARMRA claims to remove the casein in its colostrum, so it may possibly be safe for those with a casein allergy, but we strongly recommend discussing it with your doctor first before trying it.

Other reactions that may affect the general population include skin rash and gastrointestinal upset, but these aren't terribly common.

Similar principles apply to the other ingredients found in ARMRA's flavored varieties, including Performance Revival:

• Blood Orange: citric acid, annatto extract, and stevia
• Vine Watermelon: malic acid, dragon fruit, and stevia
• Performance Revival: cacao, black cumin, tart cherry, stevia

Citric and malic acid are both Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) by the FDA,29 30 and numerous studies attest to stevia's safety for human consumption.31 As for the other ingredients, there's little to no evidence to suggest broad danger, but allergies and other intolerances aren't uncommon. If you aren't sure about your ability to tolerate any of these additives, we recommend speaking with your doctor for their professional input.

Bovine colostrum for children and those pregnant or breastfeeding

Bovine colostrum appears to be safe for use among children. That's according to the researchers of a 2021 review of its potential benefits in pediatric nutrition and health.32 Dr. Lauren Crosby, a pediatrician and Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, corroborates their conclusion, noting that children as young as one year old can take bovine colostrum to realize its potential health benefits.33 That being said, we still suggest speaking with your family’s pediatrician beforehand, just to make sure colostrum won’t negatively impact any aspect of your child’s health.

When it comes to colostrum for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, the jury’s still out. We touched on this in an earlier section, citing a lack of evidence to recommend use among this population. Indeed, Drugs.com, a source of drug information certified for content assurance and reliability by AACI Healthcare's TRUST program, advises pregnant and breastfeeding women to avoid bovine colostrum supplements at this time.34 35

Our ARMRA customer experience

Purchasing from ARMRA is on par with most online shopping experiences. Every product page gives you the option for a one-time purchase ("Buy Once") or a subscription with recurring deliveries ("Subscribe & Save"). With Immune Revival, you also get to choose between a bulk jar or the Stick Pack.

Once you check out, ARMRA sends you four emails to your email address:

• A welcome email
• An order confirmation email
• A "Thank you for your purchase" email
• An email on how to manage your subscription

A notification also accompanied each step of the delivery process — label creation, package pickup, out-for-delivery, and delivery confirmation. The first notification arrived in our inbox after four days, telling us that a shipping label had been created. Then, it was three days between label creation and package pickup by USPS, and finally, three more days between USPS pickup and delivery completion. For us, the total time from purchase to delivery took ten days.

In total, ARMRA sent us eight emails from start to finish. This may seem like a lot, but we appreciated getting that much communication. Not all companies are willing to provide such comprehensive information, and we'd rather have too much knowledge about our shipment than too little. It assured us by keeping us looped in on our order's progress.

Use and convenience

You can mix ARMRA colostrum powder into just about any cold, cool, or lukewarm liquid or food (again, hot temperatures can diminish its efficacy). For our testing, we opted to use cold water, which helped give us a sort of baseline for how well the product dissolves (not to mention how it tastes).

Most of the powders from both the bulk jar and the Travel Sticks mixed well in cold water. The one exception was our preferred flavor, Vine Watermelon, which left a few powder chunks, though nothing so horrible as to be unpalatable. If you use one of ARMRA's branded carafes, you can vigorously shake the mixture to better hom*ogenize your drink.

Amazon reviews concerning solubility are mostly in line with our experience, with less than half of all pertinent comments mentioning any difficulty. In that regard, it performs similarly to Miracle Moo and WonderCow.

The Travel Packs did pose some difficulty with opening; while you can tear them open, they do require a bit of effort. Scissors would be our preferred method, but it may be inconvenient to have scissors on hand if you're on the go.

Customer support

For us, customer support at ARMRA was swift and seamless. The website includes a collapsible chat widget on every page through which you can seek the answers you need. The initial response will be an automated link to a page in the knowledge hub, but if the answer isn't satisfactory, you can choose to connect with a live representative.

When our representative wasn't sure about a question, they requested that we wait for an email response while they discovered the information we sought. In one exchange, the time between request and email delivery was less than an hour. After we asked a follow-up question, the representative provided us with a definitive answer within the following 15 minutes.

In comparison, we also interacted with service representatives at Miracle Moo, who took about a day each to respond to our questions. The answers we received were less direct, too, requiring some analysis to determine how sufficiently they satisfied our questions.

Alternatives to ARMRA

While the bovine colostrum supplement market isn't vast, ARMRA does contend with a few direct colostrum-focused competitors and several supplement providers that include colostrum among their product offerings. All the brands described below sell colostrum as a powder supplement for gut health, aesthetic health, immunity, performance recovery, or overall wellness.

Miracle Moo

Miracle Moo's key distinguishing characteristic is the addition of ImmunoLin, another protein-based, Ig-rich supplement derived from cows. However, even with ImmunoLin, Miracle Moo has an IgG concentration of only 30%, which is lower than either ARMRA or WonderCow. Also, through email correspondence, we discovered that Miracle Moo does contain casein, making it unsuitable for those with dairy allergies.

Miracle Moo comes exclusively in bulk jar form, but you can choose between a 30-day and 60-day supply (54g and 108g, respectively). Thirty-day jars are either unflavored or chocolate-flavored, whereas 60-day jars are unflavored only. All combinations are available as one-, two-, or three-jar packs.

As with ARMRA, you can make a one-time purchase of Miracle Moo or subscribe for ongoing deliveries in one-, two-, or three-month intervals. Miracle Moo is definitely the budget option among the colostrum-specializing providers, especially since you get 30% off your first order if you subscribe, realize greater savings if you buy in bulk, and get free two-day shipping on all orders. International shipping is also available.

WonderCow

WonderCow states its colostrum has an IgG concentration of 40%, but there's some ambiguity as to how that compares with ARMRA. One direct source claims ARMRA has an IgG concentration greater than 40%, which means it could have a better potential efficacy than WonderCow. But another direct source says the concentration is "no less than 35%." In either case, both ARMRA and WonderCow outperform Miracle Moo on the IgG front.

WonderCow also has a couple of qualities in common with ARMRA. First, sustainability plays an integral part in its business philosophy, as its colostrum is sourced from humanely treated cows on U.S. farms that follow a calf-first initiative. Second, WonderCow sells colostrum supplements in both 120g bulk jars and travel-friendly single-serving packets. Both package variants are available as either an unflavored or an elderberry-flavored powder.

In addition to straight colostrum concentrate, the WonderCow line features one product that ARMRA and Miracle Moo don't have: a 110g powdered colostrum creamer fortified with 4,000mg of coconut medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) and 500mg of lion's mane mushroom. Apart from adding a mild coconut flavor, the coconut MCTs are alleged to help with body weight, energy, and cognitive health.36 Lion's mane may be able to provide a host of benefits to cognitive function, heart health, and gut health, to name a few.37

You can purchase any of WonderCow's supplements as either a one-time go or a subscription; the unflavored and elderberry colostrums are available in 30- or 60-day subscription intervals, while the creamer subscription comes every 20, 30, 45, or 60 days. Subscribing knocks 15% off the regular price of every delivery, and the company increases the discount to 30% for your first subscription order. Standard domestic shipping is free. The company intends to provide international shipping at some point but currently doesn't offer this option.

General supplement providers

Each of the companies discussed in this section has a broad product line that includes colostrum. They're not the only general supplement providers to offer colostrum but stand out for being generally well-regarded online.

Among these providers, Adapt Naturals is the most transparent about its colostrum product, Bio-Avail Colostrum+, which has an IgG concentration of 40%. Similar to ARMRA, Adapt Naturals sources its colostrum from grass-fed cows on U.S. farms, follows a calf-first initiative, and uses a cold-process pasteurization method to retain Ig integrity. But unlike ARMRA, Bio-Avail Colostrum+ does contain casein and isn't suitable for people with dairy allergies.

Brain Bean doesn't outright divulge details about its IgG concentration or casein content, but it’s notable for offering two colostrum products. One is the Ultra Pure Colostrum, and the other is the Brain-Immune Gut-Brain Formula for supporting the gut-brain connection — this is a bidirectional communication pathway that may influence factors like satiety, cravings, gut muscle movements, mood, stress, and behavior.38

Two other companies, Elm & Rye and Mt. Capra, also provide no information about IgG concentration or casein content. However, the latter is worth examining further because its colostrum powder derives from goats instead of cows. A 2022 review in Beverages explains that goat colostrum contains more lactose than its bovine counterpart, so Mt. Capra probably isn't ideal for people with lactose intolerance. It may, however, provide additional health benefits, particularly with regard to lowering blood pressure.39

See the table below for the package options, pricing, and subscription delivery intervals for each of these providers' products.

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