Prebiotic and modulatory evidence of lactoferrin on gut health and function

Lactoferrin (LF) is a bioactive protein widely existent in biological secretions. With excellent health functions, LF has been incorporated into many commercial health products including infant formulas, cosmetics, and functional foods. Pieces of evidence have shown that LF benefits gut health including gut immune enhancement, fortification of the intestinal barrier, and risk reduction of colon cancers. LF is partially digested and found to be able to modulate microbiota as a prebiotic agent which may contribute to its beneficial functions in gut health. This review introduces the LF structure and function relationship, emphasizes LF modulatory effect on gut health, and summarized shreds of evidence associated with LF in prebiotic activities including inhibiting pathogenic growth and promoting probiotics in the gut. This review will provide an important overview for applications of LF in gut health products targeting intestinal microbiota.