What is Lactoferrin?
Lactoferrin is a protein that occurs naturally in numerous bodily
secretions. It is secreted in milk, tears, mucus, and saliva.
Lactoferrin is also expressed by white blood cells at the site of
attack by numerous pathogens. Iron is an essential growth factor for
virtually every cell and microorganism. Lactoferrin is released to
absorb free iron that could be used by bacteria, viruses, and fungi
for growth. It serves to protect against unwanted entry and growth of
microorganisms into our bodies due to its affinity for iron.
If our body can withhold iron from invading
bacteria, their rate of growth will be decreased. A small number of
bacteria in your body will cause no harm. The problem is that bacteria
rapidly multiply, and a potentially fatal infection ensues. There are
many ways, such as the administration of penicillin or antibiotics, to
stop the bacteria. But no antibiotic drug works on all bacteria, and
often the physician does not know the source of the infection and
which antibiotic to use. Additionally, virtually every infectious
microbe has developed resistance to one or more of the major classes
of antibiotics. A general way of stopping the spread of an infection
would be to deprive the bacteria of iron. Bacteria can never develop a
'resistance' to the lack of iron because this precious mineral is
required for growth. The principal is simply: starve your enemies. We
can be certain that if any microorganism is deprived of iron, growth
and reproduction will be stopped.
The same effect of starving the bacteria, viruses,
and fungi can be accomplished with Bovine Lactoferrin. The primary
function of lactoferrin is to bind iron at the molecular level and in
doing so it has a distinct bacteriostasis effect. In numerous mammals,
the highest concentration of lactoferrin is found in breast milk. This
has led to numerous studies in newborn mammalian offspring, including
infants. These studies have prompted the Japanese to incorporate
lactoferrin in baby formula for the last five years. Research has
demonstrated the importance of lactoferrin in the proper formation of
the gastrointestinal tract and the absorption of nutrients in
newborns. It is of little wonder that breast-fed infants, on the
average, are healthier than bottle fed infants.
During the digestive process stomach acids begin to
break down food into various components which are later absorbed by
the intestine. As food enters the intestine, it immediately makes
contact with the bacteria that have colonized the gastrointestinal
tract. Both harmless bacteria and disease bearing bacteria, commonly
known as pathogens, continue to break food down into microbial units
that are then absorbed by the intestine. These bacteria literally
dissolve the food into amino acids, lipids, and simple sugars, the
basic components of life.
The mucosal epithelial layer is the interface
between the external and internal environments in the gastrointestinal
tract. This is the site for the digestion and absorption of most
essential nutrients. The mucosal layer also functions as a barrier
that prohibits these internal bacteria from entering the rest of the
body. The tissue of the intestines is defended by various resistance
factors including lactoferrin, which regulates the growth of bacteria
in the intestine and assists the body in maintaining it's mucosal
layer of protection.
Lactoferrin is a quality control protein involved
in the regulation of many biological processes by managing iron in our
bodies. Lactoferrin is the body's primary bio-regulator. Even though
lactoferrin's structure and function are well documented, cost,
availability, and consumer awareness have prevented this protein from
being commercialized.
