Lactoferrin, Acne and Breastfeeding
Lactoferrin is a multifunctional protein found abundantly in human milk, saliva, tears, bile, pancreatic juice, nasal and genital secretion.
The primary function of the protein is to defense the body against pathogens. Human milk before birth and after few weeks of birth is rich in lactoferrin to defense the baby against parasites and pathogens. That's why doctors recommend breastfeeding. Lactoferrin is an iron-binding protein serving as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-fungal and anti-viral agents. Small amount of lactoferrin is also found in cow milk and other animals.
How does lactoferrin prevent acne?
There are various causes of acne including microbial activity, weak immune system and accumulation of free radicals. Propionibacteria found within skin infect hair follicles and sebaceous glands. The inflammation due to infection narrows the hair follicles restricting the sebum to discharge from the skin. Infection, weak immune system and accumulation of free radicals (toxins) stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum.
Antimicrobial Activity of Lactoferrin:
Lactoferrin performs its antibacterial activity by using its two strong properties:
- Bacteriostatic Property
- Bactericidal Property
A wide range of bacteria both gram positive and gram negative, use iron for their replication and growth. Lactoferrin is an iron-binding protein, that is, it binds iron to its one domain. The iron-binding property deprives the bacteria with iron. Due to this property, lactoferrin prevents from the infection caused by a wide range of bacteria including gram positive and gram negative.
Some gram negative and gram positive bacteria are not susceptible to iron deprivation, at this juncture; lactoferrin used its bactericidal property.
Lactoferrin damages the cellular membrane of bacteria with lipopolysaccharides that leads to destruction of bacterial colonies.
Strengthening the Immune System:
Lactoferrin strengthens the immune system and host response. Activity of lactoferrin against cutaneous inflammation and infection has been observed in mice and proved to be effective against bacterial infection by enhancing the immunity.
Removal of Antioxidants:
During metabolism and catabolism, toxins are released into the blood. These toxins need to be discharged from the body. Kidney and liver performs this task efficiently. Due to intake of high glycemic indexed diet, toxins are produced excessively that can not be discharged efficiently by liver and kidneys only. In this case, toxins accumulate within skin�s outer and inner layers.
Lactoferrin removes these accumulated free radicals from the blood and skin layers.
How does breastfeeding help prevent acne?
As a matter of fact, lactoferrin is abundant in milk of humans that is transferred to the baby by the feeding. Although lactoferrin is produced by other exocrine glands such as salivary glands, lacrimal glands (tear producing glands), the significance of lactoferrin produced by mammary glands of mother can not be declined and neglected. Strong immune system builds from infancy and lactoferrin is of greatest importance in enhancing the immunity of the infant.
Several studies reveal that bottle-feeding increases the risk of low immunity and related disorders such as acne. The trend of breastfeeding has been greatly declined due to strong marketing campaign of evaporated cow milk for the infants.
Conclusion:
Lactoferrin, acne and breastfeeding correlates with each other in that lactoferrin strengthens the immune system, destroys bacterial colonies within skin layers, reduces inflammation. Lactoferrin produced by mammary glands is of greatest importance in that it enhances the immunity of the infant. The immunity builds from infancy and promote healthy immune system even in teenage.
