Clinical Benefits of Lactoferrin for Infants and Children

Area of Science:

• Neonatal health
• Pediatric nutrition
• Immunology

Background:

• Neonatal sepsis presents a significant health burden.
• Human milk contains anti-infective factors crucial for infant immunity.
• Lactoferrin is a key component of human milk with potential health benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the clinical benefits of lactoferrin in infants and young children.
• To examine lactoferrin's mechanisms of action on infant gut health and immune development.
• To analyze current evidence from randomized controlled trials on lactoferrin's efficacy.

Main Methods:

• Review of current evidence on human milk's anti-infective mechanisms.
• Examination of preclinical data on lactoferrin's effects on the neonatal microbiome and immune system.
• Analysis of prospective randomized controlled trials in neonates, infants, and toddlers.

Main Results:

• Lactoferrin demonstrates potential clinical benefits in preterm and term infants, and young children.
• Preclinical data suggest lactoferrin influences infant gut health, immune development, and the microbiome.
• Randomized controlled trials indicate lactoferrin significantly impacts feeding, microbiome, and clinical outcomes in neonates and infants.

Conclusions:

• Lactoferrin supplementation offers clinically significant advantages for infant health.
• Further research supports lactoferrin's role in enhancing infant gut immunity and microbiome composition.
• Lactoferrin is a promising therapeutic agent for improving neonatal and infant clinical outcomes.