Colostrum or Lactoferrin - Which Is Better And Why?

Is lactoferrin the same as colostrum? Colostrum, often hailed as “Liquid Gold”, and lactoferrin, dubbed “Pink Gold”, are both gaining attention for their immune-boosting properties. Derived primarily from cow's milk, both supplements are said to support immunity, fight infection, lower inflammation and promote gut health. So what’s the difference? 

In this Journal post, we’ll decode the distinctions between these two natural supplements, and explain why lactoferrin stands out as the better choice for lifelong health.

What is Colostrum?

Colostrum is the initial breast fluid produced by mammals shortly after giving birth, preceding the production of breast milk. Recently, bovine (cow) colostrum has gained popularity as a dietary supplement among biohackers and other consumers wonder why colostrum is good for health.

What Are The Health Benefits of Colostrum?

Bovine colostrum is rich in nutrients that help newborn calves thrive and these nutrients are also said to have many benefits for humans:

• Immune Support: Colostrum is packed with antibodies used by our immune systems to fight bacteria and viruses.

• Growth & Repair: Bovine colostrum is rich in growth factors, hormones that stimulate growth, with particularly high levels of the protein-based hormones IGF-1 and IGF-2 (1). These hormones are said to support repair processes, muscle development, metabolism and healthy skin.

• Digestion: Proteins in colostrum, such as casein and whey, and prebiotic carbohydrates, such as oligosaccharides, support healthy digestion.

What Are The Downsides of Colostrum?

While there is promising research on colostrum’s impact on immunity and digestion, further study is necessary to fully understand its implications on human health. There several reasons to be wary about supplementing with colostrum:

1. Tolerance Issues: Colostrum is not suitable for those who are intolerant to lactose and can cause digestive discomfort in sensitive individuals.

2. Safety During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: It’s unclear whether colostrum supplements are safe for breastfeeding or pregnant women. Until more research is conducted, it is advisable for these groups to avoid colostrum supplementation. 

3. Potential Cancer Risks: While growth factors are necessary for the development of a calf, they are perhaps less welcome to individuals at risk of diseases such as cancer, and particularly in later life. The growth hormone IGF-1 has been found to correlate with prostate, colorectal, breast, and lung cancer (2). Furthermore, estrogen, also found in colostrum, can feed hormone-sensitive cancers. such as breast cancer (3). Though there is no clear data that colostrum enhances cancer, caution is advised for patients with or at risk for these types of cancers.

What is Lactoferrin?

Lactoferrin is a crucial glycoprotein that is part of your body's immune response and is the hero ingredient in Leapfrog's supplement range — found in IMMUNE for acute immune defence at 250mg, and in DAILY at 100mg for foundational daily immune resilience, bone health, and skin vitality.

Lactoferrin is obtained from mammalian milk, and has been dubbed “Pink Gold”, not only due to its pale pink hue, but also because of its extremely high value. Extracting lactoferrin from cow's milk is a complex and costly process, and the low yield and high demand make it a valuable and sought after bioactive ingredient.

What Are The Health Benefits of Lactoferrin?

Although Lactoferrin can be found in colostrum, pure lactoferrin obtained from premium and fresh cow's milk (the kind we use in IMMUNE and DAILY), has a multitude of health benefits itself. 

• Antimicrobial Properties: Lactoferrin safeguards the body against bacteria and viruses by binding to iron, depriving these harmful microorganisms of a crucial nutrient and thereby inhibiting their growth. Lactoferrin can also directly destroy harmful bacteria. 

• Immune Support: Lactoferrin promotes the activity of immune cells and regulates the immune system's response to pathogens, strengthening overall immune defence.

• Gut Health: Lactoferrin fosters the growth of beneficial gut bacteria such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus, which support digestive health.

• Anti-inflammatory: Lactoferrin has a role in regulating the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which play a key role in the inflammatory response.

Colostrum vs Lactoferrin: Why Is Lactoferrin Better Than Colostrum?

Lactoferrin and colostrum both offer numerous benefits, but there are several reasons why lactoferrin stands apart as the better supplement for longterm human health.

• Fewer Tolerance Issues: During the manufacturing of the lactoferrin in Leapfrog’s IMMUNE tablets, the lactose content is reduced to about 0.01%, making them virtually lactose-free.

• Recommended for Pregnant Women: While colostrum is potentially unsafe for pregnant women, lactoferrin has been shown to effectively treat iron deficiencies during pregnancy without gastrointestinal side effects commonly associated with iron supplements (4). Lactoferrin is considered safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding - we recommend one tablet per day.

• Potential Anti-Cancer Treatment: Although further research is necessary, there exists encouraging research proposing lactoferrin’s use in anti-cancer treatment when combined with other therapeutic agents (5).

• Life Long Supplement: As lactoferrin is free of hormones it is a suitable supplement to take in later life.

• Low Dosage Required: While colostrum supplementation requires c.500mg per dose, studies have demonstrated efficacy of Lactoferrin at doses as low as 50mg
• Virtually Lactose Free: With only 0.01% of lactose, Lactoferrin can be consumed by those with a lactose intolerance, which is not the case with colostrum.

Broad Versus Targeted Support

 

Colostrum provides broad, passive immune protection and strengthens the gut microbiome, while lactoferrin actively defends against infections by binding iron, starving pathogens, and directly disrupting their membranes.

 

Think of colostrum as a versatile multi-tool, supporting gut health, microbial balance, immune readiness, and recovery. Lactoferrin, in contrast, functions like a single, finely tuned instrument, precise in its action, delivering targeted benefits for infections, inflammation, and iron metabolism.

 

Colostrum on its own as a supplement has a lower, more diluted concentration of lactoferrin.

Leapfrog IMMUNE contains 250mg of lactoferrin alongside immune-boosting zinc and vitamin C - for targeted immune support at the first sign of illness. Leapfrog DAILY contains 100mg of lactoferrin alongside Vitamin D3, K2, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Zinc - for foundational daily immune resilience, bone integrity and skin vitality.

So when you are feeling run-down, or your immune system needs a helping hand, treat yourself to nature's remedy: the "Pink Gold" lactoferrin. 

References

McGrath, B.A., Fox, P.F., McSweeney, P.L.H. and Kelly, A.L. (2016). Composition and properties of bovine colostrum: a review. Dairy Science & Technology, [online] 96(2), pp.133–158. doi: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13594-015-0258-x

 

Cleveland Clinic. (2024). Estrogen-Dependent Cancers. [online] Cleveland Clinic. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/10312-estrogen-dependent-cancers [Accessed 2024].

 

Cichon, M., Baranowska-Bosiacka, I., Gutowska, I. and Kosik-Bogacka, D. (2021). Lactoferrin — a glycoprotein of great therapeutic importance for pregnant women, the fetus, and the newborn. Nutrients, 13(9), p.2971. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13092971.

 

Tran, T.H., Tran, P.T.T. and Truong, D.H. (2023). Lactoferrin and nanotechnology: The potential for cancer treatment. Pharmaceutics, [online] 15(5), p.1362. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15051362. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/15/5/1362

 

Renehan, A.G., Zwahlen, M., Minder, C., O'Dwyer, S.T., Shalet, S.M. and Egger, M. (2004). Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, IGF binding protein-3, and cancer risk: systematic review and meta-regression analysis. The Lancet, 363(9418), pp.1346–1353. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(04)16044-3.

 

Wakabayashi, H., Oda, H., Yamauchi, K. and Abe, F. (2014). Lactoferrin for prevention of common viral infections. Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy, 20(11), pp.666–671. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiac.2014.08.003.

 

Costa, A., Sneddon, N.W., Goi, A., Visentin, G., Mammi, L.M.E., Savarino, E.V., Zingone, F., Formigoni, A., Penasa, M. and De Marchi, M. (2023). Invited review: Bovine colostrum, a promising ingredient for humans and animals—Properties, processing technologies, and uses. Journal of Dairy Science, [online] 106(8), pp.5197–5217. doi:https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-23013.

 

Dziewiecka, H., Buttar, H.S., Kasperska, A., Ostapiuk-Karolczuk, J., Domagalska, M., Cichoń, J. and Skarpańska-Stejnborn, A. (2022). A Systematic Review of the Influence of Bovine Colostrum Supplementation on Leaky Gut Syndrome in Athletes: Diagnostic Biomarkers and Future Directions. Nutrients, 14(12), p.2512. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14122512.

 

Zhang, Y., Lima, C.F. and Rodrigues, L.R. (2014). Anticancer effects of lactoferrin: underlying mechanisms and future trends in cancer therapy. Nutrition Reviews, 72(12), pp.763–773. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/nure.12155.

By Phoebe Lund Newlyn