How Does Lactoferrin Help Your Immune System?
Lactoferrin is a protein that’s garnered a reputation in skincare, thanks to its anti-acne effects. But what most do not know is that it also helps keep you safe from various infections and diseases. How? Read on to learn more on the role of lactoferrin in your immunity.
A Refresher on Iron & the Body’s Immune System
Before diving into how lactoferrin helps the body’s natural defenses, it’s first important to know about how the immune system works, as well as how iron is essential in its processes.
Regularly exposed to various elements, your body is always at risk of catching infections and developing life-threatening conditions. The body’s immune system is mainly in charge of keeping you safe to these disease-causing elements. In a nutshell, the immune system is a vast and complex network of cells and proteins that carry out these functions:
- Spot and identify foreign elements that have entered the body
- Eliminate disease-causing pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and parasites
When the immune system spots an element that it does not recognize as its own, it sets off a series of actions that leads to the removal of the invading element.
An essential mineral in multiple chemical processes within the body, iron helps ensure that the immune response is quick and efficient. In fact, iron is involved in many of the immune system’s functions. Most important is that the mineral is a key component in the creation and activation of immune cells which, if you have enough, ensures that invading elements are dealt with in no time.
However, having ample amounts of iron in the immune system has a setback. Just as how it naturally boosts the production of immune cells, iron also triggers bacterial and microbial growth. That’s why one of the immune system’s actions during a threat response is to keep the mineral stored away and out of reach. And this is where nutrients such as lactoferrin help.
The Role of Lactoferrin in Immunity
One of the widely-known ingredients or remedies for acne, lactoferrin is a nutrient that skincare experts and enthusiasts are all familiar with. It is a protein that’s found in human and cow milk, as well as other bodily fluids such as saliva, tears, mucus, sweat and bile. Thanks to its natural antibacterial, and antioxidant properties, lactoferrin is able to support the immune system in multiple ways including the following.
Ensures Efficient Distribution of Iron
Lactoferrin’s main functions are to bind with iron, and to transport iron to various parts of the body. For the immune system, lactoferrin ensures that there is enough supply of iron to stimulate immune response as well as activate rapid production of immune cells.
Keeps Iron Out of Reach
When a foreign element invades, your immune system and the invading pathogens fight over iron. Because, as previously mentioned, iron encourages not just the production of immune cells, but also bacterial growth. To prevent the latter, lactoferrin ensures that iron is kept safe and far from the reaches of the invading foreign bodies.
Helps Guard Against Infections
Did you know that lactoferrin content in mother’s milk (especially in colostrum or the very first batch of mother’s milk) is what helps protect breast-fed infants against infections? Studies show that, apart from regulating iron, lactoferrin puts on a destructive behavior towards foreign bodies. One of the observations is that the protein targets or aims to destroy walls around bacteria.
Maintains Good Skin Health
The skin is one of the body’s largest organs. It’s also the body’s first line of defense against health-damaging elements. In order for it to consistently perform this function, skin health must be taken care of. With its antioxidant property, lactoferrin helps keep skin health at its prime by fighting off free radicals and optimizing skin cell renewal.
Daily Lactoferrin with Vitamin E and ZInc
With the right nutrients, lactoferrin can do more for your overall health. Take these for example:
Vitamin E for Help on Skin Health
A powerful antioxidant, vitamin E helps keep skin cells healthy by fighting free radical damage. It also protects against UV radiation, and helps retain skin moisture, preventing dryness and ensuring that the skin’s protective barrier is intact.
Zinc for Extra Immunity
Zinc is also an antioxidant that plays a role in maintaining a healthy immune system. It helps repair damaged tissues, promote wound healing and improve skin health.
Get the immunity and skin health-boosting benefits of the nutrients by taking Lactoferrin + d-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate + Zinc (Lactezin). Together with proper diet and exercise, Lactoferrin + d-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate + Zinc (Lactezin) can help treat and prevent pimples when taken 2x daily for at least 2 weeks.
Read more features on lactoferrin, skin care, and managing different types of acne with expert tips and advice from Lactezin. Lactezin is available in drugstores nationwide, and online on Shopee and Lazada.
SOURCES:
https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-benefits-of-lactoferrin-89471
https://www.rxlist.com/Lactoferrin/supplements.htm
https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-benefits-of-Lactoferrin-89471
https://supplements.selfdecode.com/blog/lactoferrin/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320101
https://lactezin.com/lactoferrin-and-skin-immunity-what%E2%80%99s-the-connection
