SynthesisNutrients2022
Comparative Effects between Oral Lactoferrin and Ferrous Sulfate Supplementation on Iron-Deficiency Anemia: A Comprehensive Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials.
Synthesis in Nutrients, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 55 citations in OpenAlex.
- Nutritional modulation of neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review of clinical and preclinical evidence.BMC geriatrics · 2026Pooled it
- Bovine Lactoferrin Compared With Ferrous sulfate for Treating Iron-Deficiency Anemia in Bangladeshi Women-A Randomized Controlled Trial.The Journal of nutrition · 2026Trial
- Oral lactoferrin as a treatment of pediatrics' anemia resulted from chronic kidney diseases: a randomized controlled trial.Scientific reports · 2025Trial
- A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial to Assess the Effects of Lactoferrin at Two Doses vs. Active Control on Immunological and Safety Parameters in Healthy Adults.International journal of toxicologyTrial
- AnemiaScore: An Investigator-Developed Rule-Based Clinical Decision-Support Framework for Cancer-Related Anemia-A Single-Center Retrospective Proof-of-Concept Concordance Study.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Iron Metabolism Disorders Associated With the Severity of Pyogenic Liver Abscess.Food science & nutrition · 2025Article
- Lactoferrin-A Regulator of Iron Homeostasis and Its Implications in Cancer.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Treatment of bacterial biothreat agents with a novel purified bioactive lactoferrin affects both growth and biofilm formation.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2025Article
- Ferroptosis as a Potential Mechanism in the Pathophysiology of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.Nature and science of sleep · 2025Review
- Lactoferrin Supplementation in Preventing and Protecting from SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Is There Any Role in General and Special Populations? An Updated Review of Literature.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
- Article
- Lactoferrin thermal stabilization and iron(II) fortification through ternary complex fabrication with succinylated sodium caseinate.Food chemistry: X · 2024Article
- Characterization of recombinant human lactoferrin expressed inThe Analyst · 2024Article
- Encapsulated Mn-Saturated Lactoferrin as a Safe Source of Manganese Ions for Restoring ProbioticMolecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Oral iron therapy: Current concepts and future prospects for improving efficacy and outcomes.British journal of haematology · 2024Review
- Lactoferricin B Combined with Antibiotics Exhibits Leukemic Selectivity and Antimicrobial Activity.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Nutrition, hydration and supplementation considerations for mountaineers in high-altitude conditions: a narrative review.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2024Review
- Advances in Ferroptosis-Inducing Agents by Targeted Delivery System in Cancer Therapy.International journal of nanomedicine · 2024Review
- Article
- Bioavailability Assessment of an Iron Formulation Using Differentiated Human Intestinal Caco-2 Cells.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Ferrous sulfate is a commonly used iron supplement for the correction of iron-deficiency anemia but with frequent gastrointestinal side effects. Milk-derived iron-binding glycoprotein lactoferrin possesses well gastrointestinal tolerance and fewer side effects caused by the intake of high-dose iron. However, the underlying mechanism of the iron-enhancing effect of lactoferrin remains unclear. In addition, the comparative efficacies between lactoferrin and ferrous sulfate are also remained to be determined. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on published intervention studies to investigate how lactoferrin modulate iron metabolism and evaluate the comparative effects between lactoferrin and ferrous sulfate supplementation on iron absorption, iron storage, erythropoiesis and inflammation. Lactoferrin supplementation had better effects on serum iron (WMD: 41.44 ug/dL; p < 0.00001), ferritin (WMD: 13.60 ng/mL; p = 0.003) and hemoglobin concentration (11.80 g/dL; p < 0.00001), but a reducing effect on fractional iron absorption (WMD: −2.08%; p = 0.02) and IL-6 levels (WMD: −45.59 pg/mL; p < 0.00001) compared with ferrous sulfate. In conclusion, this study supports lactoferrin as a superior supplement to ferrous sulfate regarding the improvement in serum iron parameters and hemoglobin levels. Considering the weak influence of lactoferrin on iron absorption, the anti-inflammation effect of lactoferrin may be the potential mechanism to explain its efficacy on iron status and erythropoiesis.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.