What is Lactoferrin ?
Many people are familiar with the ingredient Lactoferrin without realising it as it’s found in colostrum, the super nutrient-rich milk. It was first discovered in 1939 as a protein in bovine milk and named Lactoferrin because of the high iron content which gives it a pink colour meaning it is often referred to as ‘pink gold’. It wasn’t until 1960 that Lactoferrin was first purified from bovine milk and researchers began to understand this mysterious molecule and its many beneficial functions in the body. Since then there have been more than 8000 clinical trials and papers written about its structure and properties demonstrating the widespread interest in this extraordinary protein and its possible uses. Several different types of Lactoferrin with differing gene sequences have been discovered in 11 species of mammals ranging from goats and sheep to camels, the Coronavirus pandemic which started in 2019-Covid-19, has placed Lactoferrin firmly under the spotlight due to evidence of its immuno-modulatory properties and reports that it has the ability to defend against viruses, infections and bacteria. It also has the ability to bind iron and can be transferred via receptors between cells, bile, serum and cerebrospinal fluid. It can help to regulate how well iron is absorbed into the body from the intestine. In addition to milk it can also be found in tears, saliva, and mucus as well as in the intestine, the respiratory tract and in white blood cells. Colostrum has been found to contain a much higher concentration of Lactoferrin than more mature milk making it the best source of this multi-functional natural protein.
We use Proferrin® in Shield capsules-an active ingredient of purified Lactoferrin. This is 100% natural delivering the highest purity available, guaranteed at 95%. The Proferrin® in Shield capsules is a premium form of Lactoferrin ethically sourced from a farm in Northern France recognised for winning the Social and Environmental Commitment award in 2021. It is part of a dairy cooperative and follows the Charter of Good Breeding Practices working with farmers to ensure the cows are happy, healthy and have a good diet and to ensure the traceability of the animals. The Charter of Good Breeding Practices guarantees the quality of the milk, setting out guidelines for how the milk is collected and ensuring good hygiene practices as well
What sort of milk is used?
We use non-pasteurised raw cows’ milk instead of the pasteurised milk or whey proteins chosen by some companies so that our Lactoferrin is in its native and purest form.
Extracting Lactoferrin
Extracting Lactoferrin from milk isn’t simple- it’s a very complicated and expensive process. The protein is sensitive to heat which means that some treatments used can denature the Lactoferrin taking away its benefits .To preserve its natural structure and to ensure the Lactoferrin in Shield capsules keeps all of its goodness, the Lactoferrin is extracted using a chromatography process and filtration at cold temperatures followed by a gentle drying process- sounds complicated but it works! So the natural quality and goodness of the protein is retained resulting in the very pure Proferrin® used in our capsules to ensure it delivers optimum benefits for your health.
