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Still don't know about lactoferrin? Have you heard the name and that it brings us benefits, but you don't really know what it is? If so and you want to discover what it is about, keep reading this short and interesting article by Ecologist Verde, here we clarify what is lactoferrin and what is it for.
Lactoferrin is a protein that mainly helps improve iron metabolism and strengthen the immune system and, therefore, more and more people choose to take it encapsulated. Thus, it is a good idea to take it at key times when we need to strengthen our immune system. If you want to help your immune system avoid infections and other health problems, or help it cope with them as part of a treatment, continue reading this article and do not hesitate to consult your doctor.
What is lactoferrin
The lactotransferrin or lactoferrin is a transferrin, more specifically it is a multifunctional glycoprotein because it acts in different physiological processes of the organism. It is a protein produced by the glandular epithelial cells of various species of mammalian animals. We can find it mostly in colostrum and milk, although it is also present in other fluids. It has the ability to bind to iron molecules or ions and transport them through the blood and, thanks to this, it brings us many benefits.
Although it provides more benefits, the most relevant are that it helps regulate iron and metabolize it and that too improves the immune system. If you want to know more details about lactoferrin, you can enter health websites and specific scientific publications about this protein, such as lactoferrin.net.
What is lactoferrin for
These are the main benefits of taking lactoferrin:
- By binding to iron ions, it helps transport it through the blood and metabolize it properly.
- It is anti-inflammatory.
- It is an antioxidant.
- Improves nails, skin and hair.
- Improves the intestinal and skin microbiota.
- It is part of the process of proliferation and differentiation of cells.
- It has been observed that it is very possible that it develops a relevant role in different diseases, such as cancer.
- Helps prevent and eliminate viruses, bacteria, fungi, yeasts and parasites.
- Stimulates the immune system.
- Recently, studies have been carried out that show that using lactoferrin in patients who are infected by COVID19, improvement is seen. If you want to know some details of these studies about the action of lactoferrin in the treatment of the infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, enter the informative website on this protein indicated above and you will be able to see scientific publications such as, for example , which is about Lactoferrin as potential preventive and adjunct treatment for COVID-19 / Int J Antimicrob Agents / 2022, 56 (3): 106118.
- Provides balance to the body, as it favors homeostasis.
What foods contain lactoferrin
This protein is found mostly in milk and colostrum, but also in other fluids. These are the main foods with lactorferrin:
- Milk
- Whey
- Butter
- Cheese
- Yoghurt
How can we take lactoferrin
The free or natural lactoferrin, It is the one that is found naturally in fluids such as colostrum, milk, blood, neutrophils, tears, saliva and other fluids of our body and that of various animals.
Today we can find the encapsulated lactoferrin, which is the same that we find free in fluids but concentrated, in more quantity. Specifically, the one that is marketed to help us improve iron metabolism and our defenses, among other aspects, is glycoprotein derived from bovine milk. This encapsulated protein is more concentrated and has more absorption than free, so its effects are noticed earlier than if we do not ingest it or if we only take it through food.
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