Lactoferrin food supplement, fortifying first breast milk

Lactoferrin 250 mg is a dietary supplement containing lactoferrin, a fascinating, natural molecule involved in many of the body’s defence mechanisms. It is extracted from whey proteins.

What exactly is lactoferrin?

Lactoferrin is a mammalian protein from the transferrin family. It has long been regarded as a simple anti-infective iron chelator, depriving pathogenic bacteria of the iron necessary for their growth.

Since the 2000s, however, it has been the subject of intensive study aimed at exploring its full potential, particularly its presumed ability to modulate the immune system and regulate bone growth.

In the human body, lactoferrin is present in breast milk, tears, bile, saliva and secretions from reproductive organs (1). It is also synthesised by microglial cells and polymorphonuclear neutrophils, two types of immune cell (2).

What benefits are believed to be offered by lactoferrin?

Lactoferrin is a key element of the immune system, particularly the innate immune system. Expression of lactoferrin in the body can be induced by a simple, pro-inflammatory stimulus (3). It essentially restricts the growth of bacteria and yeasts, as well as certain viruses and pathogenic fungi.

Lactoferrin acts on immunity via several mechanisms:

• Iron-depriving action: secreted in body fluids, it prevents the growth of bacteria by sequestering free iron.
• Destabilisation of bacterial membranes, thus increasing their permeability.
• Interaction with certain proteins used by viruses to penetrate cells.
• Apoptosis of certain yeasts (particularly those that cause oral thrush).

It’s also a powerful modulator of the inflammatory response (4). In particular, it regulates the production of cytokines (molecular messengers) and the recruitment of immune cells to the site of inflammation.

Finally, from a more theoretical perspective, lactoferrin may occupy a central position in regulating crucial cellular processes such as the cell cycle and cell death (apoptosis). It may exert a monitoring action on cell growth.

Free from any toxicity, lactoferrin is attracting increasing interest in the pharmaceutical field. It offers numerous applications and its efficacy has been conclusively demonstrated by a growing number of clinical trials. It has been extracted and purified from bovine whey and formulated with 100% natural excipients: acacia gum and white rice bran.