"Kika ask about supplemental iron interfering with lactoferrin. I have heard
this since at least the 90s."


I have heard this too, and it makes sense because iron is a food source for bacteria to grow and thrive on, so lactoferrin has jobs that we know of, to help with iron absorption and to bind to excess iron, make it inert and flush it out the body. In so doing, then there is less available for iron to allow growth of harmful bacteria. So some people theorize what is the effect of putting larger volumes of iron into the infant? Could it overwhelm the available lactoferrin?

Showing it improves iron absorption in infants:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8134189


But not just iron, "The protein can deliver such metal ions as iron, manganese, and zinc and facilitate the absorption of sugars."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16106243


The above study also mentions that it helps inhibit the growth of bacteria, stimulates cell production in the intestines, helps to increase production of beneficial bacteria in the gut and reduces the production of harmful bacteria in the gut. 

As to whether or not putting excessive amounts of iron into the infant will impact the healthy gut flora and the bacteriostatic properties of lactoferrin, in that area, that has been little research and nothing conclusive. At least that I know of, but many feel that given what we know about the delicate balance of homeostasis in our bodies, it would be unwise to give iron supplementation to infants who are not anemic. Preterm infants may need additional iron stores. Rather than supplementing all infants it would seem wiser to test for anemia at about 3 to 4 months to determine who needs it.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21160095


Here's an article that discusses more about how pathogens need iron to flourish. It's really sad to think about how much we are experimenting on infants when it comes to nutrition. For this reason, I'm not a fan of iron-fortified cereals for breastfed infants either. Many mothers will tell you that after starting them their babies also begin to suffer from chronic constipation and gassiness and may be unnecessary for the majority of breastfed infants. This is an area in which we need more research.

Here is an article that brings up several good points about our relative lack of knowledge in this area and the need for additional studies:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11339160


Sincerely,

Tricia Shamblin, RN, IBCLC

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