How we rate
“Strong” = several concordant meta-analyses or systematic reviews. “Moderate” = one synthesis, or several controlled trials. “Limited” = early trials only. The rating is about the quality of the studies, not about how useful the supplement is.
Lactoferrin
Milk protein that binds iron. In anemic pregnant women, it performed at least as well as iron sulfate with fewer digestive disorders; it also aids treatment against Helicobacter pylori.
Benefits
- Pregnancy anemia: across 4 trials and 600 pregnant women, lactoferrin increased hemoglobin at least as much as iron sulfate (0.77 g/dL more at 4 weeks), with fewer digestive disorders.
- Pregnancy anemia, one trial: in 200 pregnant women, 250 mg per day for 2 months increased hemoglobin by 2.26 g/dL compared to 1.11 g/dL with iron sulfate.
- Helicobacter pylori: added to antibiotic treatment, it increased eradication from 74.44% to 86.57% (9 trials, 1,343 patients) and reduced treatment adverse effects from 16.28% to 9.05%.
- Helicobacter pylori, one trial: in 400 patients, adding lactoferrin increased the success rate of triple therapy from 70.3% to 85.6%.
- Adult colds: in 145 healthy adults, 200 mg per day for 12 weeks yielded lower respiratory and general symptom scores than with placebo.
- Inflammation: in adults, it decreases interleukin-6 by 24.9 pg/mL in a meta-analysis, without changing CRP.
- Childhood diarrhea: across 14 studies, fewer children had diarrhea with lactoferrin (odds ratio of 0.56); in 555 young children, episodes were shorter (4.8 days vs. 5.3), but not less frequent.
Precautions
Tolerance: well tolerated in trials, from 200 mg per day to 1.8 g per day, with no serious adverse effects; EFSA considers it safe at the doses intended in foods. Anemia: it does not always replace iron. In 555 non-pregnant women in Bangladesh, 200 or 400 mg per day for 12 weeks performed significantly worse than iron sulfate (about 1.1 to 1.2 g/dL less hemoglobin). Limits: adult colds: in a meta-analysis, no reduction in the number of respiratory infections in adults (odds ratio of 1.00); the reduction is only seen in children. COVID: in 209 healthcare workers, 600 mg per day for 90 days did not reduce infections (10.6% vs. 8.6% on placebo). Intensive care: in 212 patients on artificial respiration, no reduction in hospital-acquired infections. Hepatitis C: 1.8 g per day for 12 weeks made no difference to the viral load of 198 patients. Weight: an 8-week trial on 26 people found less abdominal fat; another 4-week trial saw no change in body composition. Evidence: trials on anemia and Helicobacter pylori are few in number, and the authors of a meta-analysis consider the evidence limited.
Recommended dosage
200 to 250 mg per day in trials involving adults and pregnant women, for 8 to 12 weeks.
How to take it
- Who it is for: the clearest results concern anemic pregnant women and Helicobacter pylori treatment, two situations that are treated with a physician.
- Anemia: 250 mg per day for 2 months, or 100 mg twice a day, in trials versus iron sulfate.
- Helicobacter pylori: added during the 2 weeks of antibiotic treatment.
- Colds: 200 mg per day for 12 weeks in healthy adults.
- Stomach: a good portion resists digestion, from 62 to 79% of the ingested lactoferrin in 12 volunteers.
- What does not work: preventing COVID, adult colds in a meta-analysis, hepatitis C, infections in intensive care.
Did you know?
A good part of the ingested lactoferrin resists the stomach: in 12 volunteers, from 62 to 79 % survived gastric digestion.
What the studies say
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of oral lactoferrin supplementation to prevent pediatric infections in those under 18 years of age. Based on 25 studies, it found that lactoferrin was associated with a reduction in cases of late-onset neonatal sepsis and diarrhea in children. However, no significant effect was observed on upper respiratory tract infections.
Mayorga V, Navarro R, Roldan V, Urtecho M, Tipe S, Calvert B, Wright L, Ochoa TJ. — Biochemistry and cell biology = Biochimie et biologie cellulaire (2025) — View the source study
Pairs well with
For information only: not a substitute for medical advice. Dietary supplements are not a replacement for a varied, balanced diet. Learn more