Lactoferrin as a clinical biomarker
What the assay detects, how well it performs, and how it compares with calprotectin.
Lactoferrin is stored in the secondary granules of neutrophils and released where those cells degranulate. When neutrophils migrate into the intestinal wall, lactoferrin appears in stool, which is what makes it measurable as a marker of intestinal inflammation.
This section treats it as an assay: what the test detects, the cutoffs different platforms use, reported sensitivity and specificity, and how it sits alongside fecal calprotectin, which occupies much the same clinical role.
These pages are about the science of the test, not about interpreting an individual result. A result belongs to the clinician who ordered it, who has the history the number needs to be read against.
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This page reports published research. It is general information, not medical advice, and not a recommendation to take anything. Lactoferrin supplements are derived from cow's milk and are unsuitable for anyone with a milk protein allergy. Anyone who is pregnant, breastfeeding, treating an infant, or managing a diagnosed condition should speak to a clinician first.