In the past few years, the popularity of lactoferrin has become higher and higher, and many merchants have launched milk powder or health care products containing lactoferrin, but there are still many parents who do not understand: what is lactoferrin? Why is it so sought after?
Lactoferrin was first discovered in breast milk by scientist Johanson Bengt in 1960 and is highest in colostrum and milk. In subsequent studies, it was found that lactoferrin has a variety of functions such as bacteriostatic sterilization, immunity regulation, antioxidant, and improving the bioavailability of iron in food.
In 2004, lactoferrin was allowed to be added to infant formula (the addition standard is ≤1.0 g/kg).
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows lactoferrin as a food additive for sports, functional foods, and pharmaceuticals.
Lactoferrin is rated as a medicine by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA).
China's "Standards for the Use of Food Nutrition Enhancers" identifies lactoferrin as a food nutrition enhancer.
The reason why it is popular is simple: it is useful!
First of all, lactoferrin can take away the iron required for the growth of some bacteria to inhibit the growth of bacteria and infections caused by viruses, so that the baby's body is stronger and more free from germs.
Secondly, lactoferrin can effectively promote the absorption of iron. Iron is an indispensable element for human growth, and the lack of iron will lead to iron deficiency anemia, which makes the face sallow and so on. The affinity between lactoferrin and iron ions is high, which can effectively improve the utilization of iron, thereby maintaining the balance of iron in the body.
Finally, lactoferrin is one of the important members of the mother's non-specific immune system and is the core immune protein in breast milk. Lactoferrin stimulates the body's immune system cells, helps improve immunity, and makes your baby's body stronger.
Therefore, after weaning, the baby lacks the immune factors obtained from breast milk, and needs to supplement lactoferrin to enhance immunity.
So how do you choose lactoferrin?
On the one hand, it depends on the content, due to its scarcity and the requirements of national standards, the basic content is controlled within ≤1.0g/kg, if this value is exceeded, it is likely to use whey protein to impersonate lactoferrin.
On the other hand, it depends on the applicable population. Most of the lactoferrin products on the market do not have a clear distinction between the applicable populations, and may only be written in general terms for infants and young children. In fact, infants and young children have different nutritional needs in each formative period. Only by choosing products that are suitable for your baby's age can you better meet the nutrients you need. This requires parents to study their product formulas more, and the formulas developed according to the growth needs of different months of the baby will be more accurate and more suitable for the baby.
"Lactoferrin expert" New West recently creatively proposed the concept of "lactoferrin segmented eating", with the goal of developing products for Chinese babies of different ages.
Lactoferrin I. is mainly aimed at babies with poor absorption under 18 months, easy to flatulence and constipation diarrhea, the baby at this time has just been weaned, the gastrointestinal system is very delicate, and it needs the careful care of parents. Lactoferrin I can help your baby build up your intestinal flora, better promote nutrient absorption, and adapt to food.
Segment II lactoferrin is mainly for babies who are 18 to 36 months old or who are developing intelligence. At this time, the baby began to learn the language, the outside world began to have cognition, the second paragraph specially added bird's nest acid and taurine two major nutrients to help brain development, to enhance intellectual development, improve immunity has a very good effect; Vitamin C is added to aid absorption.
Iii. Segment lactoferrin is mainly for babies over 36 months old, and babies at this time can be ready to pick up a small school bag and go to school! But there are so many children in kindergarten, a baby is sick, a whole class of babies may be sick, so it is very important to enhance immunity and let the baby be less troubled by diseases. Iii. segment lactoferrin specially added yeast β-dextran, which can enhance the function of macrophages and natural killer cells, thereby improving the body's immune defense ability, as well as anti-radiation and cell repair functions, synergistic lactoferrin to stimulate multiple immunity, so that the baby entering the kindergarten is healthy and less sick.
New West always insists on putting the baby's health first, lactoferrin as the baby's first and most important line of defense, its importance is obviously self-evident, hurry up to supplement lactoferrin for the baby!