Lactoferrin

Other Names: Apolactoferrin, Bovine Lactoferrin, Human Lactoferrin, Lactoferrina, Lactoferrine, Lactoferrine Bovine, Lactoferrine Humaine, Lactoferrine Humaine Recombinante, Lactoferrines, Lactoferrins, Recombinant Human Lactoferrin.
Lactoferrin is a protein found in cow milk and human milk. Colostrum, the first milk produced after a baby is born, contains high levels of lactoferrin, about seven times the amount found in milk produced later on. Lactoferrin is also found in fluids in the eye, nose, respiratory tract, intestine, and elsewhere. People use lactoferrin as medicine.

Special Precautions of Lactoferrin

• Lactoferrin is safe in amounts consumed in food. Consuming higher amounts of lactoferrin from cow's milk might also be safe for up to a year. Human lactoferrin that is made from specially processed rice appears to be safe for up to 14 days. Lactoferrin can cause diarrhea. In very high doses, skin rash, loss of appetite, fatigue, chills, and constipation have been reported.

Benefits and uses of Lactoferrin are

• Hepatitis C : There's some evidence that lactoferrin may inhibit hepatitis C infection. In a 2003 study from Hepatology Research, for instance, scientists discovered that treatment with lactoferrin may help increase levels of interleukin-18 (an immune-system protein found to play a key role in fighting off the hepatitis C virus). The year-long study involved 63 people with hepatitis C.
• Iron Deficiency : Lactoferrin may benefit certain people with low levels of iron, according to a research review published in Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care in 2009. Looking at the available research on the role of lactoferrin in human nutrition, the review's authors determined that treatment with lactoferrin may enhance iron status in infants and pregnant women. Lactoferrin is thought to improve iron status by promoting the absorption of iron in the intestines, as well as by aiding the delivery of iron to your cells.
• Ulcers : Lactoferrin may help protect against Helicobacter pylori infection (a type of infection known to cause ulcers). For a report published in Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics in 2009, researchers analyzed five clinical trials (with a total of 682 patients) on the use of lactoferrin against Helicobacter pylori infection. Results revealed that lactoferrin sourced from cow milk may help knock out Helicobacter pylori and reduce infection rates without causing adverse effects.
• Osteoporosis : Preliminary research suggests that lactoferrin may help boost bone-building and aid in the prevention of osteoporosis. In a 2005 report published in Clinical Medicine and Research, laboratory tests determined that lactoferrin may help promote the growth of bone-forming cells known as osteoblasts.
• Human Papillomavirus : Lactoferrin shows promise for protection against human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted virus known to cause genital warts and contribute to the development of cervical cancer. In a 2007 report published in Antiviral Research, tests on cells demonstrated that lactoferrin sourced from cow milk may help inhibit human papillomavirus infection.
• Flu Defense : Lactoferrin appears to offer virus-fighting effects that may help with flu defense. In a 2011 report published in Molecules, for instance, researchers analyzed the available research on lactoferrin's antiviral properties and found that it may be beneficial in treatment of viral infections. What's more, a 2010 study published from Biometals tested lactoferrin's effects on flu-infected cells and concluded that it may help destroy the flu virus.
• Helicobacter pylori infection (an ulcer-causing bacterial infection). There is conflicting research about the effectiveness of adding lactoferrin from cows (bovine lactoferrin) to standard ulcer treatments. Some studies show bovine lactoferrin improves the effectiveness of some prescription medications. Other studies show no benefit. However, studies do agree that treating Helicobacter pylori infection with bovine lactoferrin alone isn’t effective, even at high doses.