Drug & supplement interaction

Bovine Colostrum + Levothyroxine

Levothyroxine brand names: Euthyrox, Levothroid, Unithroid, Synthroid, Levoxyl, and others.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Bovine Colostrum and Levothyroxine in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Levothyroxine states a food rule worth keeping to, and the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Bovine Colostrum and Levothyroxine

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Levothyroxine and Bovine Colostrum in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Bovine Colostrum at all — not against Levothyroxine, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Bovine Colostrum safety at a glance

Bovine Colostrum overall Use caution Generally well tolerated in most adults, but those with milk or dairy allergy should avoid it.
Pregnancy Use caution Not enough reliable safety data, so it is best to avoid unless your doctor approves.
Breastfeeding Use caution Safety is not well studied during breastfeeding, so use caution and ask your provider.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Levothyroxine and Bovine Colostrum? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Bovine Colostrum and Levothyroxine May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. 3 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • A severe allergic reaction / Hives Worth acting on Additional detail

    Bovine Colostrum

    “Topically, there is a case report of anaphylaxis, urticaria, and itching related to bovine colostrum.”

    Bovine Colostrum · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in pruritus.

    1 source cited
    1. 101793. Porcaro F, Caminiti L, Crisafulli G, Guglielmo F, Pajno GB. Anaphylaxis to cutaneous exposure to bovine colostrum based cream. Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol. 2019;37(1):9-11.

    Levothyroxine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Levothyroxine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • An allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    Bovine Colostrum

    “Theoretical adverse effects to bovine colostrum include an allergic reaction in individuals allergic to bovine milk products. There is also some concern that bovine colostrum that is obtained from cows in countries where bovine spongiform encephalitis (BSE) has been reported might be unsafe, however, there is no research indicating that colostrum can be contaminated with the BSE-causing prion.”

    Bovine Colostrum · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in encephalitis.

    1 source cited
    1. 1825. Lewis CJ. Letter to reiterate certain public health and safety concerns to firms manufacturing or importing dietary supplements that contain specific bovine tissues. FDA. Available at: www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/dspltr05.html.

    Levothyroxine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Levothyroxine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Itching Additional detail

    Bovine Colostrum

    Recorded for Bovine Colostrum in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under A severe allergic reaction / Hives above.

    Levothyroxine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Levothyroxine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Diarrhea Additional detail

    Bovine Colostrum

    “Orally, bovine colostrum has caused nausea and vomiting in an individual with HIV-related cryptosporidiosis. In clinical trials of bovine colostrum, bloating, nausea, diarrhea, and unsettled stomach have been reported as mild in nature by a few patients with a similar rate of occurrence as those taking a whey-based control.”

    Bovine Colostrum · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    4 sources cited
    1. 4905. Greenberg PD, Cello JP. Treatment of severe diarrhea caused by Cryptosporidium parvum with oral bovine immunoglobulin concentrate in patients with AIDS. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol 1996;13:348-54. PubMed
    2. 92414. Duff WR, Chilibeck PD, Rooke JJ, Kaviani M, Krentz JR, Haines DM. The effect of bovine colostrum supplementation in older adults during resistance training. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2014 Jun;24(3):276-85. PubMed
    3. 101792. Sanctuary MR, Kain JN, Chen SY, et al. Pilot study of probiotic/colostrum supplementation on gut function in children with autism and gastrointestinal symptoms. PLoS One. 2019;14(1):e0210064. PubMed
    4. 114819. Halasa M, Skonieczna-Zydecka K, Machalinski B, Bühner L, Baskiewicz-Halasa M. Six Weeks of Supplementation with Bovine Colostrum Effectively Reduces URTIs Symptoms Frequency and Gravity for Up to 20 Weeks in Pre-School Children. Nutrients 2023;15(16):3626 PubMed

    “Orally, bovine colostrum has caused elevated liver function tests in HIV patients treated for infectious diarrhea.”

    Bovine Colostrum · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    1 source cited
    1. 4905. Greenberg PD, Cello JP. Treatment of severe diarrhea caused by Cryptosporidium parvum with oral bovine immunoglobulin concentrate in patients with AIDS. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol 1996;13:348-54. PubMed

    Levothyroxine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Levothyroxine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Vomiting / Nausea Additional detail

    Bovine Colostrum

    Recorded for Bovine Colostrum in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Diarrhea above.

    Levothyroxine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Levothyroxine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Bovine Colostrum but not commonly for Levothyroxine: bloating or gas.

Effects for Levothyroxine come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Bovine Colostrum come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

How to take them

Some Levothyroxine Products Have a Food Rule — Bovine Colostrum Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Levothyroxine says to take it on an empty stomach. Most supplements — Bovine Colostrum included — are taken with a meal, so the easy mistake is swallowing both together at breakfast. Where that rule applies, keep Levothyroxine on its own and move Bovine Colostrum to a meal later in the day.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Levothyroxine products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

From our Q&A

Questions About Bovine Colostrum or Levothyroxine

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Bovine Colostrum or Levothyroxine, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Levothyroxine

This page covers Bovine Colostrum only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Levothyroxine page lists 50 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Tiratricol (major), Acetyl-l-carnitine (moderate), Alpha-lipoic Acid (moderate) and Ascophyllum Nodosum (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 39 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Levothyroxine page

“Levothyroxine replaces a hormone your body measures in tiny amounts, so small shifts in its blood level show up in how you feel, and I treat this list with genuine care. Nearly everything on it does one of two things: blocks the pill from being absorbed in the gut, the way everyday minerals like calcium do by binding it into complexes,…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Levothyroxine interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Bovine Colostrum and Levothyroxine Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Bovine Colostrum
Steady interest

#1,261 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Levothyroxine
Top 10

#2 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Bovine Colostrum reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Bovine Colostrum and Levothyroxine records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Bovine Colostrum

What is Bovine Colostrum?

Bovine Colostrum
  • Immune support
  • Gut health and digestion
  • Exercise recovery
  • Diarrhea (including infectious diarrhea)
  • Anti-inflammatory support

Bovine colostrum is the nutrient-rich first milk from cows, packed with antibodies, growth factors, and protein. Early research suggests it may help with gut health, certain types of diarrhea, and immune support, but more high-quality studies are needed. It is generally well tolerated, but people with milk allergy should avoid it, and pregnant or breastfeeding women should check with a healthcare provider first.

Colostrum (the first milk produced by cows after calving) · Powder, capsules, chewable tablets, liquid

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Bovine Colostrum is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Bovine Colostrum record says about it on its own.

Bovine Colostrum: dosing

There is no official standardized dose for bovine colostrum. Studies have used a wide range of amounts depending on the product and the condition being studied, so there is no single "right" dose for everyone.The best approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not take more than recommended.

From our Bovine Colostrum monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Bovine Colostrum monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Levothyroxine

What Is Levothyroxine Used For?

Brand names: Euthyrox, Levothroid, Unithroid, Synthroid, Levoxyl, Levo-T, Eltroxin, Estre, Levothyroxine, Novothyrox, Levolet

Levothyroxine replaces or supplements the thyroid hormone your body isn't making enough of. It's used for hypothyroidism — an underactive thyroid — in adults, children, and even newborns, whether the cause is the thyroid gland itself, the pituitary gland, or the hypothalamus in the brain.

It's also used alongside surgery and radioiodine treatment in people with certain types of thyroid cancer, to help suppress the hormone that can stimulate cancer growth. It is not meant for weight loss, treating benign thyroid nodules in people who have enough iodine, or for hypothyroidism during recovery from a temporary condition called subacute thyroiditis.

See full Levothyroxine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Bovine Colostrum

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Bovine Colostrum — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Bovine Colostrum References

The 8 references that drive our Bovine Colostrum monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Lewis CJ. Letter to reiterate certain public health and safety concerns to firms manufacturing or importing dietary supplements that contain specific bovine tissues. FDA. Available at: www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/dspltr05.html.
  2. Greenberg PD, Cello JP. Treatment of severe diarrhea caused by Cryptosporidium parvum with oral bovine immunoglobulin concentrate in patients with AIDS. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol 1996;13:348-54. PubMed
  3. Duff WR, Chilibeck PD, Rooke JJ, Kaviani M, Krentz JR, Haines DM. The effect of bovine colostrum supplementation in older adults during resistance training. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2014 Jun;24(3):276-85. PubMed
  4. Sanctuary MR, Kain JN, Chen SY, et al. Pilot study of probiotic/colostrum supplementation on gut function in children with autism and gastrointestinal symptoms. PLoS One. 2019;14(1):e0210064. PubMed
  5. Porcaro F, Caminiti L, Crisafulli G, Guglielmo F, Pajno GB. Anaphylaxis to cutaneous exposure to bovine colostrum based cream. Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol. 2019;37(1):9-11.
  6. Yan X, Pan X, Ding L, et al. Bovine colostrum to supplement the first feeding of very preterm infants: The PreColos randomized controlled trial. Clin Nutr 2023;42(8):1408-1417. PubMed
  7. Halasa M, Skonieczna-Zydecka K, Machalinski B, Bühner L, Baskiewicz-Halasa M. Six Weeks of Supplementation with Bovine Colostrum Effectively Reduces URTIs Symptoms Frequency and Gravity for Up to 20 Weeks in Pre-School Children. Nutrients 2023;15(16):3626 PubMed
  8. Simonsen MB, Kappel SS, Aunsholt L, Möller S, Sangild PT, Zachariassen G. Mineral supplementation for very preterm infants fed fortified human milk. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2024;78(6):1389-1397. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Bovine Colostrum and Levothyroxine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Bovine Colostrum with Levothyroxine?
We do not list a known interaction between Bovine Colostrum and Levothyroxine. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Bovine Colostrum and Levothyroxine have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 7 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Should I take Bovine Colostrum and Levothyroxine at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Levothyroxine says to take it on an empty stomach, and supplements are usually taken with a meal — so taking them together at breakfast is the easy mistake. Where that applies, keep Levothyroxine on its own and move Bovine Colostrum to a meal later in the day. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient, so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Does Levothyroxine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Levothyroxine has documented interactions with 50 supplements in our database — Bovine Colostrum is not one of them. The Levothyroxine interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Levothyroxine and Bovine Colostrum?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.