HEALTH NEWS

Study Title:

Lactoferrin and Abdominal Obesity

Study Abstract

Lactoferrin (LF), a multifunctional glycoprotein in mammalian milk, is reported to exert a modulatory effect on lipid metabolism. The aim of the present study was to elucidate whether enteric-coated LF (eLF) might improve visceral fat-type obesity, an underlying cause of the metabolic syndrome. Using a double-blind, placebo-controlled design, Japanese men and women (n 26; aged 22-60 years) with abdominal obesity (BMI>25 kg/m2, and visceral fat area (VFA)>100 cm2) consumed eLF (300 mg/d as bovine LF) or placebo tablets for 8 weeks. Measurement of the total fat area, VFA and subcutaneous fat area from computed tomography images revealed a significant reduction in VFA ( - 14.6 cm2) in the eLF group, as compared with the placebo controls ( - 1.8 cm2; P = 0.009 by ANCOVA). Decreases in body weight, BMI and hip circumference in the eLF group ( - 1.5 kg, - 0.6 kg/m2, - 2.6 cm) were also found to be significantly greater than with the placebo (+1.0 kg, +0.3 kg/m2, - 0.2 cm; P = 0.032, 0.013, 0.041, respectively). There was also a tendency for a reduction in waist circumference in the eLF group ( - 4.4 cm) as compared with the placebo group ( - 0.9 cm; P = 0.073). No adverse effects of the eLF treatment were found with regard to blood lipid or biochemical parameters. From these results, eLF appears to be a promising agent for the control of visceral fat accumulation.

Study Information

Ono T, Murakoshi M, Suzuki N, Iida N, Ohdera M, Iigo M, Yoshida T, Sugiyama K, Nishino H.
Potent anti-obesity effect of enteric-coated lactoferrin: decrease in visceral fat accumulation in Japanese men and women with abdominal obesity after 8-week administration of enteric-coated lactoferrin tablets.
British Journal of Nutrition
2010 December
Research and Development Headquarters, Lion Corporation, Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan.