12 views

Nov. 16, 2025, 7:40 AM ESTBy Minyvonne Burke and Daniel ArkinAshley Rodolph, a 26-year-old mother who lives in Texas, started buying ByHeart infant formula because she believed it was a safer, cleaner alternative to other baby products on the market.But that assumption was dramatically upended this month. Rodolph learned that ByHeart was recalling its powdered formula because it is likely tied to an infant botulism outbreak that has sickened more than a dozen babies. She panicked, hoping the formula she’s been feeding her daughter for the past three months was not from a defective can.“I don’t know if we’ve had those cans or not, and that was pretty terrifying to think about,” she said in a phone interview on Friday. “When you’re feeding your baby formula, you don’t think to keep the cans just in case of a recall.”Ashley Rodolph and her daughter Saphira.Courtesy Ashley RodolphRodolph and her husband stopped using the formula on Nov. 9, a day after the product was pulled from store shelves and online merchants amid an investigation by the Food and Drug Administration. She’s been advised by the family’s pediatrician to monitor her daughter Saphira for the emergence of symptoms.“You look at your baby and you see them being totally fine, and then you question yourself like: What if they’re not? What if they’re showing symptoms and I just don’t know what they are? What if tomorrow she’s not OK?” Rodolph said. “It’s an absolutely terrifying situation.”Rodolph is one of the many parents across the country who are deeply rattled by the botulism outbreak. As of Friday, 23 cases had been reported across 13 states, according to the FDA. No deaths have been reported to date, the agency said.In a fact sheet, the FDA said most children with infant botulism will initially develop constipation, poor feeding, loss of head control and difficulty swallowing. The symptoms can grow more serious: difficulty breathing, respiratory arrest.The symptoms take as long as several weeks to appear, the FDA said. If untreated, the infection can lead to paralysis and death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.ByHeart originally said it would recall two lots of the organic Whole Nutrition Infant Formula after the FDA announced it was investigating the outbreak’s links to the product. ByHeart then widened the recall last week to include all batches of the formula.“The safety and well-being of every infant who uses our formula is, and always will be, our highest priority,” ByHeart’s co-founder and president, Mia Funt, said in a statement.“This nationwide recall reflects our commitment to protecting babies and giving families clear, actionable information. Alongside this recall, we are conducting a comprehensive investigation to do our part to get the answers parents expect and deserve.”Summer Besecke, a 25-year-old mother from Longview, Texas, said she was feeding her son Syrus when she learned via email that the formula she was using had been recalled.Summer Besecke’s son Syrus was hospitalized for two days with symptoms.Summer Besecke“I yanked the bottle out of his mouth, and I started crying,” Besecke said. “At first, I didn’t know what botulism was, so I was concerned, and my heart kind of dropped.” She went online and did some research. “Instead of my heart dropping, it was more like a hole burning in my chest because I’m literally actively feeding my child this.”Besecke then noticed troubling symptoms. The 6-week-old became constipated. He had trouble lifting his head. He was “a little more limp than usual,” she said.Syrus spent two days in the hospital before he was released on Thursday, according to his mother. Besecke and her husband are now waiting for test results to determine if their son has botulism.“It’s been so much worry,” she said. “I’m supposed to be cherishing these moments, and I was robbed of that.” Summer Besecke’s son Syrus. Summer BeseckeByHeart faces at least two lawsuits from parents who say their babies were sickened and allege the company was negligent in selling “defective” formula. The families are seeking financial compensation for medical bills, emotional distress and other harm.Yurany and Stephen Dexter of Arizona, the plaintiffs behind one of the suits, said their 4-month-old daughter Rose started to seem sick in August. She appeared weak and listless, her eyelids half-open.“I just remember her lying there with her arms folded over her chest, being really quiet, refusing her bottle,” Stephen Dexter said in an interview.Yurany and Stephen Dexter with their daughter, Rose.Courtesy Yurany and Stephen Dexter.The lawsuit says Rose ultimately needed to be flown by air ambulance to a children’s hospital in Phoenix — two hours away from their home in Flagstaff. She was treated there for about two weeks, her father said.The Dexters believe ByHeart should face consequences.“You’ve chosen to be in a position of providing a product that is directly marketed towards a group of people that are, by definition, helpless,” Stephen Dexter said. “If you’re not doing 110% to make sure the product you’re selling is absolutely pure, then we’ve got a problem.”Minyvonne BurkeMinyvonne Burke is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News.Daniel ArkinDaniel Arkin is a senior reporter at NBC News.

- Latest News - November 16, 2025

Ashley Rodolph, a 26-year-old mother who lives in Texas, started buying ByHeart infant formula because she believed it was a safer, cleaner alternative to other baby products on the market

TAGS:
14 views

Nov. 16, 2025, 5:50 AM ESTBy Andrew GreifIn 2021, nine games into his first season as the head coach of the NFL’s Detroit Lions, Dan Campbell stripped the team’s offensive coordinator of play-calling responsibilities and took over himself. The Lions were winless and even the coordinator acknowledged that he likely would have made the same move.Four years later, Campbell did it again. On Nov. 3, nine weeks into the season, Campbell took over from first-year coordinator John Morton — but this time, the change didn’t seem to be obviously in the works.Through five games, the Lions had scored a franchise-record 174 points. By early November, the Lions were 5-3 and had averaged enough points to rank in the NFL’s top five. Still, Campbell felt a change was required, and the Lions responded with 44 points in a win against Washington, which fielded one of the league’s worst defenses. “Let’s just see if a different playcaller can maybe get us a little rhythm? That’s all,” Campbell said of his motivations. “Honestly, it’s nothing more than that.”Yet the stakes are much more than just a midseason change. As the NFL season enters its stretch run, and no single team has separated itself as a clear-cut Super Bowl favorite, the Lions — who have never played in a Super Bowl — are one of numerous potential contenders again after two years of entering the postseason as a top NFC threat, only to fall short.“I just feel like it’s the right thing to do right now and I’m gonna do it,” Campbell said Monday. Campbell acknowledged that for Morton, “of course it probably doesn’t feel too good, but also he’s a pro and he understands everything.” He also didn’t remove the possibility of Morton potentially calling plays again, even “maybe sooner, who knows” than in 2026, he told reporters. Morton continues to give Campbell information, the coach said, including an opponent’s defensive tendencies. Six coaches had provided input during a “collaborative effort” Week 10 win at Washington, Campbell said.The shakeup was consistent with a boldness that has marked Campbell’s tenure in Detroit, from provocative quotes in his opening press conference to the team’s annual placement among the offenses most likely to go for it on fourth down. Still, it was surprising because, for one, Goff and Morton had overlapped before in Detroit, in 2022, and the comfort the quarterback had built with the coordinator was “extremely important” to Goff, he said earlier this season. Since Detroit’s gaudy first month offensively, however, its attack had begun to gain fewer yards and more signs of concern. After going three-and-out just 25 times in 17 games all of last season, the Lions had done it 20 times in this season’s first eight games, the team’s own website noted. Although receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown’s seven touchdowns ranked second in the league, its dual-threat rushing attack of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs had been held to 65 rushing yards combined during a Week 9 loss. Since averaging 34.8 points during its first five games, Detroit had scored nearly two touchdowns less in its next three games. Play-calling’s learning curve, Campbell said, is gaining a “feel” that can only be gained through experience, which was partly why he said he still would be relying on Morton greatly. “Knowing when to go and when to pull and push and pull and push and pull and, to be honest, that’s kind of one of his best traits as a leader,” Goff said. “And, not to cross leadership and play calling, but knowing kind of when the shot (downfield) feels right and when the run feels right, and when to switch the run and do that, it’s really hard. It’s a lot of feel. You can’t really teach it, you can’t really learn it and he did a great job with that.”It was Campbell’s first big call, one that could determine Detroit’s Super Bowl aspirations.What we’re watching for in Week 11Commanders (3-7) vs. Dolphins (3-7), in Madrid, Spain: Washington’s defense (28.0 points allowed per game this season) has contributed to four straight losses of at least 20 points. If that streak of 20-plus point losses extends to five, it will tie the 1986 Buccaneers for the longest in NFL history.Panthers (5-5) at Falcons (3-6): Carolina, which beat Atlanta in Week 3, hasn’t swept the Falcons in a season since 2013. Atlanta has lost four straight games in its division.Buccaneers (6-3) at Bills (6-3): Last week was the first time Buffalo, which leads the NFL with 153 rush yards per game, didn’t gain at least 100 on the ground. The common thread in all three Bills’ losses has been turnovers, with quarterback Josh Allen committing multiple turnovers in each loss. Texans (4-5) at Titans (1-8): The Titans have been outscored by a league-worst 127 points, but would have to be outscored by an average margin of 20 points per game the rest of the season to equal the NFL record.Bears (6-3) at Vikings (4-5): Four fourth-quarter comebacks have turned around Chicago’s season, but the franchise has more work before its playoff contention becomes real. The Bears are 1-8 against their division since 2023, including 0-2 this season.Packers (5-3-1) at Giants (2-8): The Giants’ 79 penalties don’t lead the league — a distinction earned by Jacksonville and Denver, both with 83.Bengals (3-6) at Steelers (5-4): It bodes well that this is a day game for the Steelers, who are 0-3 at night. Cincinnati’s DJ Turner leads the league with 14 passes defended. The bad news for the Bengals is that their 109 missed tackles lead the league by 28.Chargers (7-3) at Jaguars (5-4): Los Angeles has run a league-high 660 plays — 165 more than 32nd-ranked Pittsburgh — and 46 percent of their drives end in a score, the fifth-best mark in the NFL.Seahawks (7-2) at Rams (7-2): Good things happen when these quarterbacks drop back to pass. The Rams’ Matthew Stafford (8.2 percent) and Seattle’s Sam Darnold (7.5 percent) rank second and third in the percentage of passes that become touchdowns. And Darnold (league-high 9.24 yards) and Stafford (7.22) both rank in the top five in net yards gained per pass attempt, which factors in yards lost to sacks.49ers (6-4) at Cardinals (3-6): Arizona is 0-3 against NFC West opponents, and is 1-6 in their last seven games overall.Ravens (4-5) at Browns (2-7): Myles Garrett’s 17 tackles for loss lead the NFL. That figure includes 11 sacks, which ties with the Giants’ Brian Burns for the league lead. Chiefs (5-4) at Broncos (8-2): Denver is 7-0 playing on real grass this season, by far the NFL’s best record. The grass surface they’ll play on Sunday is brand new after being installed in their home just nine days ago. Lions (6-3) at Eagles (7-2): Philadelphia’s offense hasn’t been pretty, but it also doesn’t turn the ball over. Its drives end in turnovers a league-low 4.4 percent of the time (compare that to the league-worst Dolphins, at 16.5 percent). Detroit has missed the fewest tackles in the NFL.Cowboys (3-5-1) at Raiders (2-7): Opponents are converting third downs 52.6 percent of the time against the maligned Dallas defense, the worst mark in the league. Opponents also are scoring touchdowns nearly 70 percent of the time they enter the red zone against Dallas, the league’s fourth-worst mark.Andrew GreifAndrew Greif is a sports reporter for NBC News Digital. 

- Latest News - November 16, 2025

In 2021, nine games into his first season as the head coach of the NFL’s Detroit Lions, Dan Campbell stripped the team’s offensive coordinator of play-calling responsibilities and took over.

TAGS:
11 views

Nov. 15, 2025, 8:30 AM ESTBy Kaan OzcanShould you add colostrum to your daily diet?On social media, influencers add scoops of the powder to drinks. On podcasts, ads for the supplement tout it for a number of benefits: better immunity, improved gut health, weight loss, exercise recovery.“Colostrum has been one of the highest interest supplements over the past year,” a spokesperson for GNC wrote in an email. In GNC’s upcoming “Anti Trend Report,” colostrum supplements were highlighted as one of the biggest supplement trends of the year.Sometimes referred to as “liquid gold” because of its honeylike appearance, or the “starter kit” for infants, colostrum is a crucial part of newborns’ development.But what about adults? And what if that colostrum comes from a cow, not a human?Here’s everything you need to know about colostrum supplements, and if they’re worth it.What is colostrum?Colostrum is an early form of breast milk that’s produced right after giving birth.It’s meant to support newborns’ development and contains essential nutrients to kick-start their immune system, support their gastrointestinal system and aid their overall growth.Compared to so-called mature milk, the kind of milk produced after colostrum, colostrum is higher in protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and peptides. It’s produced for about five days after birth.Dr. Pieter Cohen, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and a general internist at Cambridge Health Alliance, said colostrum contains certain antibodies and compounds that are important for infant development.“Colostrum contains a lot of things that are good for babies of the given species,” he said. “Human babies will be exposed to things that can help, like immunoglobulins and other immune-boosting proteins in the colostrum. They’re really good as the babies are developing their own immune system.”Other studies have demonstrated colostrum’s importance for infants in gut microbiome formation and reducing allergy risk.Colostrum supplements aren’t made of human breast milk, however. The majority are made from cow’s milk and sold as bovine colostrum. Some colostrum supplements are made from goat’s milk.Why do people take colostrum and what does the research say?There’s a lot of interest in colostrum for help with inflammation, particularly in athletes, said Daniel Fabricant, president and CEO of the Natural Products Association, a supplement industry trade group. He also cited gut health as a benefit.(Fabricant added that colostrum supplements aren’t meant to cure, treat or mitigate disease. “It’s always important to differentiate something that is a health and wellness product versus something that is curing, treating, mitigating disease,” he said.)In a review paper published last year in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, researchers said that many studies reported positive effects for athletes taking the supplement — including supporting muscle recovery, boosting immunity after intense exercise and healing from injuries — though they added that more research is needed. The review was funded by a dairy company.Another review saw improvements with gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea. The authors, however, wrote that there was “limited evidence” on colostrum’s effects on gut health, “with mixed findings.”Wesley McWhorter, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, said the research on colostrum supplementation is too early to make bold claims.“Most of this research, still very preliminary, it’s early. There’s not large-scale studies, so there’s no strong evidence,” McWhorter said. Still, he said he’s interested in seeing where the research goes.In many cases, studies are funded by companies that sell colostrum.Richard Bloomer, dean of the College of Health Sciences and director of the Center for Nutraceutical and Dietary Supplement Research at the University of Memphis, said that each study’s factors — the supplement’s source, its dosage and who the subjects were — vary, which can affect results.Cohen said he doesn’t believe the research is extensive enough yet, and he doesn’t recommend colostrum supplements.He added supplements can vary by each manufacturer and brand, and quality assurance is lacking.“So even if it were that there was one or two studies on a specific product, it doesn’t mean that that product today is made the same way that the one that was studied,” he said.Can you get the same benefits without colostrum?The research on colostrum seems more promising for athletes, who have their sleep, diet and exercise “dialed in,” McWhorter said. But for the average person, he said, there are other ways to achieve the same benefits.McWhorter recommended a “food first” approach.“Focus on your diet first, your exercise second and dial in on the other pieces,” he said. “And that’s really where you should spend your time, instead of on supplements. There is no magic pill right now.”Benefits like the ones promised by colostrum can be achieved through lifestyle changes, such as diet, exercise and regular sleep.Bloomer said consumers should evaluate what they’re willing to spend their money on.“Could you justify an extra $2, $3, $5 a day to get a little bit of potential benefit? You might be better served by spending those $5 on a bunch of fruit and vegetables and try to enhance your immune function that way,” he said.Kaan OzcanKaan Ozcan is an intern with NBC News’ Health and Medical Unit. 

- Latest News - November 16, 2025

Colostrum supplements aren’t made of human breast milk. Most are made from cow’s milk and sold as bovine colostrum. Some colostrum supplements are made from goat’s milk.

Source link

TAGS: