Lactoferrin is a naturally occurring protein found in milk and body fluids. It is a powerful antimicrobial agent and a regulator of the immune system. When taken as a supplement, this substance can improve the body's iron condition, skin health, and immunity. This article describes the physical benefits of taking lactoferrin.
What is lactoferrin?
Lactoferrin (also known as lactotransferrin or LF) is a type of iron-binding glycoprotein secreted mainly by body fluids, including milk, saliva, tears, vaginal fluid, semen, lung and nose secretions, bile, digestive fluid, and urine. This substance is a component of the immune system responsible for defense at the mucosal level due to its high antibacterial activity. In particular, it plays a very important role in increasing the immune function of breast-feeding infants and is also important in maintaining immune function in life after infancy. Lactoferrin is also found in secondary neutrophil granules, blood and amniotic fluid. It also binds to the DNA and other molecules of milk, such as lgA, casein, albumin, etc. The form in which iron is combined is called "holoractoferrin", and the form without iron is "aporactoferrin".
Lactoferrin efficacy
The generally known lactoferrin efficacy is as follows, including antioxidant action and immunity enhancement.
1. Inflammation and infection markers
Lactoferrin kills bacteria and protects them from infection. Therefore, our body's natural lactoferrin level increases when there is infection and inflammation. To combat bacterial infection, blood lactoferrin increases rapidly and iron levels drop during E. coli infection in the blood. Lactoferrin is also examined in the stool to diagnose inflammation of the intestine, especially inflammatory bowel disease. In addition, in the case of Clostridium difficile infection, fecal lactoferrin levels increase naturally.
2. Antioxidant properties
Since iron can cause oxidative stress, lactoferrin can reduce oxidative stress by binding and removing iron, preventing cell damage or cell death.
3. Role of Immunity
Many immune cells have lactoferrin receptors, which directly affect the functioning of these cells. Lactoferrin can cause changes in white blood cells by increasing the activity of natural killer cells, neutrophils, and macrophages. This increases cytokine and nitric oxide production and limits pathogen growth. It also affects adaptive immune cells (T cells and B cells). In infants, lactoferrin is important for the development of natural immune system functions to prevent infection.
4. Anti-inflammatory effects
A direct mechanism has not yet been established, but lactoferrin is a well-known anti-inflammatory component in humans. It is an important component in reducing fetal inflammation in pregnant women by lowering lactoferrin IL-6 levels in amniotic fluid and reducing inflammatory infections. It has anti-inflammatory properties when interacting with the immune system against the Epstein-Barr virus and reduces inflammation by inhibiting the activation of TLR2 and TLR9 in viral DNA.
5. Antimicrobial properties
Lactoferrin helps stop bacteria from working. Most bacteria need iron to function, and lactoferrin can prevent bacteria from absorbing iron from the human body.
6. Role in fetal and infant development
Infants need lactoferrin to develop and adapt their intestinal systems. It plays a role in differentiating small intestine epithelial cells and affects small intestine mass, length, and enzyme expression. In human fetuses, lactoferrin acts as a bone growth regulator in the early stages of human bone development. Lactoferrin stimulates immature osteoclasts and osteoclasts to promote cartilage tissue growth at various stages of fetal development. In human fetuses, LF promotes iron absorption and brush boundary development, enabling healthy intestinal development before birth. High LF levels in the fetus increase the ease of delivery while preventing infection and rupture of the fetal membrane. In addition, bacteria can be stopped by blocking the carbohydrate metabolism of bacteria, destabilizing the cell wall, or interacting with lysosaim in milk.