title: Preventive effect of lactoferrin intake on anemia in female long distance runners.
abstract: This study investigated whether intake of lactoferrin (LF) would improve or prevent anemia in female long distance runners who were training during the summer season and had a high risk of iron-deficiency anemia. Sixteen female long distance runners were divided into a group taking LF and iron (the LF group) and a group that only took iron (the control group) for 8 weeks. In the control group, the ferritin, serum iron, and red blood cell count were significantly lower than before treatment. In the LF group, the hematology data showed no significant change during the 8 weeks. The red blood cell count was significantly higher in the LF group than in the control group. The blood lactate level following a 3,000-m pace run of the control group was also significantly higher than that of the LF group. These observations suggest the possibility that intake of LF increases the absorption and utilization of iron and would be useful in the prevention of iron deficiency anemia among female long distance runners.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Science, School of Health and Sports Science, Juntendo University, Inba-Gun, Chiba 270-1695, Japan. koikawa@sakura.juntendo.ac.jp
authors.forename: Natsue
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Koikawa
authors.forename: Isao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nagaoka
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hamano
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sawaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012420:Running
chemical_list: D019344:Lactic Acid; D007501:Iron; D007781:Lactoferrin