Sports supplementation can serve different purposes for athletes, such as improving performance, maintaining good health, or even preventing possible negative consequences or nutritional deficiencies. The search for supplements that may help with any of these functions is therefore of great practical interest. This is where lactoferrincomes in.
What Is Lactoferrin?
Lactoferrin is a protein belonging to the glycoprotein family—a protein bound to carbohydrates. It occurs naturally in different parts of the human body, such as breast milk, and can be obtained from cow's milk for supplementation.
Lactoferrin can bind strongly to iron, sequestering it and preventing different bacteria or microorganisms from using it to grow [1]. It also regulates iron levels in the body by helping the intestine absorb it efficiently.
It therefore has specific functions including antimicrobial action, immune-system regulation, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, and regulation of iron levels [1].
Benefits of Lactoferrin Supplementation in Athletes
Athletes generally undergo periods of training or competition with very high intensity and elevated volume. These periods can weaken the immune system, increasing the risk of infections such as respiratory infections—the common cold [2–4]. In this context, supplementation with lactoferrin may help maintain normal respiratory system function [5,6] and reduce the incidence of infections of the respiratory tract [6]. Lactoferrin supplementation also helps maintain normal immune system function by reducing levels of pro-inflammatory molecules in the body [6]. We can therefore infer that its use may be of interest during high-volume, high-intensity periods to support proper immune-system function under conditions of high stress.
As mentioned above, lactoferrin has an iron-regulating function. Although few studies have been conducted in athletes, research in other clinical populations at risk of anemia—such as pregnant women—has shown that supplementation with lactoferrin can improve hemoglobin and iron levels in the blood, with better tolerance and fewer side effects than other iron supplements [7,8]. In this context, we must recognize that athletes, especially women, are at greater risk of iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia [9].
Similarly, lactoferrin has also proved effective in non-pregnant female athletes—specifically long-distance runners—for reducing the common anemia affecting this group. In one clinical study, these athletes received iron with or without lactoferrin for 8 weeks [10]. The results showed that the group supplemented with lactoferrin had a higher red blood cell count, as well as significantly higher serum ferritin and blood iron levels. The study also included a performance test consisting of a 3000-meter run before and after the intervention. After the supplementation period, athletes taking lactoferrin showed less lactate accumulation, suggesting more efficient clearance of this metabolite and better adaptation to exertion, probably because of more effective oxygen transport and greater metabolic efficiency. Together, these findings indicate that iron deficiency and the resulting decline in athletic performance—which are especially common in women—could be addressed with lactoferrin.
How Should Lactoferrin Be Supplemented?
The general supplementation dose is 200mg per day to help prevent the possible consequences described above. As for timing, taking it immediately before meals on an empty stomach is recommended to enhance absorption.
Conclusion
In conclusion, lactoferrin is emerging as a potential supplement for regulating immune function and iron balance and, therefore, athletic performance. It may be useful not only as a treatment for possible adverse conditions, but also as a long-term preventive measure to preserve health and performance.
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Lactoferrin 200
AUTHOR
Lucas Jurado Fasoli – PhD in Biomedicine (UGR). Dietitian-Nutritionist. Researcher at the Joint University Institute for Sport and Health and Assistant Professor in the Department of Physiology, University of Granada.
References
[1] Hong R, Xie A, Jiang C, Guo Y, Zhang Y, Chen J, et al. A review of the biological activities of lactoferrin: Mechanisms and potential applications. Food Funct 2024.
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[3] Pedersen BK, Steensberg A, Schjerling P. Exercise and interleukin-6. Curr Opin Hematol 2001;8:137–41.
[4] Pedersen BK, Toft AD. Effects of exercise on lymphocytes and cytokines. Br J Sports Med 2000;34:246–51.
[5] Oda H, Kubo S, Tada A, Yago T, Sugita C, Yoshida H, et al. Effects of bovine lactoferrin on the maintenance of respiratory and systemic physical conditions in healthy adults—a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Nutrients 2023;15:3959.
[6] Berthon BS, Williams LM, Williams EJ, Wood LG. Effect of lactoferrin supplementation on inflammation, immune function, and prevention of respiratory tract infections in humans: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Advances in Nutrition 2022;13:1799–819.
[7] Nappi C, Tommaselli GA, Morra I, Massaro M, Formisano C, Di Carlo C. Efficacy and tolerability of oral bovine lactoferrin compared to ferrous sulfate in pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia: a prospective controlled randomized study. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2009;88:1031–5.
[8] Paesano R, Berlutti F, Pietropaoli M, Goolsbee W, Pacifici E, Valenti P. Lactoferrin efficacy versus ferrous sulfate in curing iron disorders in pregnant and non-pregnant women. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol 2010;23:577–87.
[9] Lee EC, Fragala MS, Kavouras SA, Queen RM, Pryor JL, Casa DJ. Biomarkers in sports and exercise: tracking health, performance, and recovery in athletes. J Strength Cond Res 2017;31:2920–37.
[10] Koikawa N, Nagaoka I, Yamaguchi M, Hamano H, Yamauchi K, Sawaki K. Preventive effect of lactoferrin intake on anemia in female long distance runners. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2008;72:931–5.
