Lactoferrin and iron
What 2 graded rows on lactoferrin agree on for iron, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the Lactoferrin page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the Lactoferrin page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
Lactoferrin and iron
2 rows · 949 peopleSplit. 1 row found an improvement and 1 found no difference.
- CGrade C× 1
- ∅No effect× 1
- Rows
- 2
- Trials
- 5
- People
- 949
- Pooled reviews may count some twice
Where they differ
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade C, is a meta-analysis of 600 people (2017) and found an improvement. 1 row is graded No effect, our grade for adequately powered trials that found no effect.
The row that found an improvement is a pooled review of several trials; the row that found no difference is a single study.
The row that found no difference ran longer (3 months) than the row that found an improvement (4 weeks).
The row that found no difference is newer (2026) than the row that found an improvement (2017).
The rows
1 improved · 1 no difference- CGrade CHaemoglobin in iron-deficiency anaemia of pregnancy · Improved
Meta-analysis, 4 studies · n 600 · 2017 · Pregnant women with iron-deficiency anaemia
Daily oral lactoferrin · 4 weeks (primary outcome)
Haemoglobin rose 0.77 g/dL more than with ferrous sulfate overall (no difference in mild anaemia), with significantly fewer gastrointestinal side effects.
Row on the Lactoferrin page · PubMed 29059584 (opens PubMed)
- ∅No effectHaemoglobin in iron-deficiency anaemia (non-pregnant women) versus ferrous sulfate · No difference
RCT · n 349 · 2026 · Non-pregnant women aged 18 to 49 with iron-deficiency anaemia (Dhaka, Bangladesh)
200 mg/day or 400 mg/day lactoferrin versus 60 mg/day elemental iron · 12 weeks
Haemoglobin changed by −0.2 g/dL (200 mg) and 0.0 g/dL (400 mg) versus +1.1 g/dL with ferrous sulfate; both lactoferrin doses were inferior to iron (difference about −1.1 to −1.2 g/dL). Adverse events were comparable.
Row on the Lactoferrin page · PubMed 42302886 (opens PubMed)