Lactoferrin supplementation enhances natural killer cell activity in adults: findings from a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Health Sciences, The Graduate School of Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Republic of Korea; Digital Healthcare Institute, Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Republic of Korea
- 2Department of Convergence Medical Science, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea
- 3Healthcare Department, Lion Corporation Korea, Seoul 03742, Republic of Korea
- 4Department of Health Sciences, The Graduate School of Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Republic of Korea; Digital Healthcare Institute, Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Republic of Korea; Corresponding author at: Department of Health Sciences, The Graduate School of Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Republic of Korea.
Abstract
Lactoferrin (LF), a component of the innate immune system found in human mucus, is known for its antimicrobial properties. It plays a crucial role in shaping immune function in newborns. Despite its biological significance and therapeutic potential, the clinical efficacy of LF in humans remains unclear. We conducted a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the effects and safety of LF supplementation in adults. A total of 100 participants aged 20 years or older were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either LF (300 mg/day) or placebo. The primary endpoint was defined as the change in natural killer (NK) cell activity. Between-group differences in changes in NK cell activity varied according to the assessment time point and E:T ratio. At week 6, a significant difference was observed only at the 12.5:1 ratio ( p = 0.012), whereas at week 12, significant differences were observed at the 50:1 and 25:1 ratios ( p = 0.014 and p = 0.040, respectively). No significant between-group differences were observed for the other E:T ratios at each time point. Cytokine levels, white blood cell (WBC) counts, fatigue severity scores (FSS), and upper respiratory tract infections showed no significant differences between the two groups. These findings suggest that LF supplementation enhances NK cell activity and may contribute to immune-related responses in adults while maintaining a favorable safety profile. However, the absence of significant differences in clinical and inflammatory outcomes indicates that the clinical implications of increased NK cell activity should be interpreted with caution.
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BibTeX
@article{park2026lactoferrin,
title = {{Lactoferrin supplementation enhances natural killer cell activity in adults: findings from a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial}},
author = {Jong-Hwan Park and Seongryu Bae and Minwoo Jang and Manh Heun Kim and Hyuntae Park and Myung-Jun Shin},
journal = {Journal of Functional Foods},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/j.jff.2026.107537},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2026.107537},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Lactoferrin supplementation enhances natural killer cell activity in adults: findings from a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
AU - Jong-Hwan Park
AU - Seongryu Bae
AU - Minwoo Jang
AU - Manh Heun Kim
AU - Hyuntae Park
AU - Myung-Jun Shin
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/30
JO - Journal of Functional Foods
DO - 10.1016/j.jff.2026.107537
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2026.107537
AB - Lactoferrin (LF), a component of the innate immune system found in human mucus, is known for its antimicrobial properties. It plays a crucial role in shaping immune function in newborns. Despite its biological significance and therapeutic potential, the clinical efficacy of LF in humans remains unclear. We conducted a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the effects and safety of LF supplementation in adults. A total of 100 participants aged 20 years or older were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either LF (300 mg/day) or placebo. The primary endpoint was defined as the change in natural killer (NK) cell activity. Between-group differences in changes in NK cell activity varied according to the assessment time point and E:T ratio. At week 6, a significant difference was observed only at the 12.5:1 ratio ( p = 0.012), whereas at week 12, significant differences were observed at the 50:1 and 25:1 ratios ( p = 0.014 and p = 0.040, respectively). No significant between-group differences were observed for the other E:T ratios at each time point. Cytokine levels, white blood cell (WBC) counts, fatigue severity scores (FSS), and upper respiratory tract infections showed no significant differences between the two groups. These findings suggest that LF supplementation enhances NK cell activity and may contribute to immune-related responses in adults while maintaining a favorable safety profile. However, the absence of significant differences in clinical and inflammatory outcomes indicates that the clinical implications of increased NK cell activity should be interpreted with caution.
SN - 1756-4646
SN - 2214-9414
ER -