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The aging process causes a progressive decline in our ability to stay healthy.1 The elderly become susceptible because their immune systems can’t stand up to microscopic invaders. Many nutrients that Life Extension® members take have been shown to support immune health.
Studies published in the 1980s and 1990s clearly show specific immune-enhancing effects of the proper use of nutritional supplements, proteins, and hormones. These substances increase host immune defense by activating complementary systems, influencing the proper production of specific antibodies from immune cells, and enhancing macrophages and natural killer cell function.3-9
A minor fraction of whey, lactoferrin appears to have a wide variety of uses in biological systems and is considered a first line of immune defense in the human body. Though a natural component of cows’ and human mothers’ milk, lactoferrin is found throughout the human body.19,20
Published studies examining lactoferrin as a supplement and its beneficial effects on immunity have been quite promising.21-23 Lactoferrin helps maintain a proper level of “good” bacteria in the intestinal tract, while controlling the number of “bad” bacteria.24-27 Latoferrin’s best-known role is probably as an iron-binding protein. The mechanism appears to lie with lactoferrin’s ability to bind iron, as it is known to have an extremely high affinity for this metal.19-29
There is little doubt that lactoferrin is a major find and a potential breakthrough as a natural non-toxic immune enhancer. Though a handful of companies are able to produce it, only one company produces the apolactoferrin (iron-depleted) form in large quantity. Studies suggest apolactoferrin is superior for supplementation.30 |