Lactoferrin and sleep

[Rhyothemis]

Has anyone noticed their sleep improve after taking lactoferrin? I had purchased some a while back for dry eye, but did not actually try it since I came across information indicating that it might increase IL-1b (an inflammatory substance produced by the body) and I already have problems with runaway inflammation.

This weekend I went ahead and took some since I have a fungal infection (probably Malassezia picked up from a cat at the rescue shelter) and seemed to be coming down with a cold (it never rains, it pours). I think I beat the cold (maybe), but the fungal infection is still ongoing. What surprised me is my sleep has improved markedly these last two nights.

Lactoferrin is increased in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in REM behavior disorder (RBD)* and Parkinson's Disease (PD):

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

So more lactoferrin might be a bad thing and increasing it further might be bad. OTOH, lactoferrin might be elevated in these diseases in order to clean up excess iron and having more of it might be a good thing.

*(I was having symptoms of RBD a few months ago; thankfully they went away.)

[Rhyothemis]

One on the plus side for lactoferrin (yes, I know, it's a mouse study... )

Lactoferrin ameliorates dopaminergic neurodegeneration and motor deficits in MPTP-treated mice

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[Rhyothemis]

Hmmm...

The protective effect of lactoferrin on ventral mesencephalon neurons against MPP+ is not connected with its iron binding ability

nature.com/articles/srep10729

{Bcl-2 again - piperlongumine modulates Bcl-2 activity}

[Rhyothemis]

A randomized, placebo-controlled trial on lactoferrin for improvement of sleep quality (abstract only):

researchgate.net/publicatio...

"Self-induced lifestyle problems, such as stress, negative emotions, or

irregular sleep-wake schedule, cause sleep disturbance. Lactoferrin has

been reported to improve sleep quality and enteric environment in rats

and humans. Our previous randomized placebo-controlled double-blind

trial has shown that lactoferrin supplementation for 4 weeks could

increase immunoglobulin A (igA) secretion and improve sleep quality,

daily mood, and enteric environment in sixty participants. In the

present study, lactoferrin supplementation was evaluated in poor

sleepers (total mood disturbance scores were more than the median). In

all, thirty-one participants took LLF (liposomal lactoferrin:

lactoferrin 270 mg/d) or a placebo for four weeks. Significant

improvement in OSA sleep inventory for middle age and aged (OSA-MA)

"sleepiness and fatigue on rising" and "initiation and maintenance of

sleep", Profile of Mood States "depression-dejection", and stool

consistency were found in the LLF group but not in the placebo group.

The changes in subjective sleep quality had a significant linear

correlation with the changes in the enteric environment. In conclusion,

four-week lactoferrin supplementation may improve subjective sleepiness

and fatigue on rising, nighttime sleep quality, daily depressed mood,

and stool consistency."

[Rhyothemis in reply to Rhyothemis]

Interesting to note that the journal, Japanese Pharmacology and Therapeutics (0386-3603), is not indexed by the National Library of Medicine. We're not getting everything published in Japan.