Lactoferrin As A Promoter Of Hair Growth

HairOnFire

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Arch Dermatol Res. 2019 Apr 20. doi: 10.1007/s00403-019-01920-1.

Lactoferrin promotes hair growth in mice and increases dermal papilla cell proliferation through Erk/Akt and Wnt signaling pathways.

Abstract
Hair loss affects men and women of all ages. Dermal papilla (DP) plays a crucial role in regulating the growth and cycling of hair follicles. Lactoferrin (LF) exhibits a wide range of biological functions, including antimicrobial activity and growth regulation. However, its effect on DP and its role in hair growth remain unknown. In this study, we found that bovine LF (bLF) promoted the proliferation of DP cells and enhanced the phosphorylation of Erk and Akt. The bLF-mediated proliferation was significantly blocked by the Erk phosphorylation inhibitor PD98059 or the Akt phosphorylation inhibitor LY294002. Moreover, biotin-labeled bLF could bind to DP cells, and the binding was independent of lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1, a known LF receptor. Importantly, bLF stimulated hair growth in both young and aged mice. Moreover, we also found that bLF significantly induced the expression of Wnt signaling-related proteins, including Wnt3a, Wnt7a, Lef1, and β-catenin. The bLF-mediated DP cell proliferation could be significantly reversed by the Wnt pathway inhibitor XAV939. Our findings suggest that bLF promotes hair growth in mice and stimulates proliferation of DP cells through Erk/Akt and Wnt signaling pathways. This study highlights a great potential of the use of bLF in developing drugs to treat hair loss.
 

NotInmywatch

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Arch Dermatol Res. 2019 Apr 20. doi: 10.1007/s00403-019-01920-1.

Lactoferrin promotes hair growth in mice and increases dermal papilla cell proliferation through Erk/Akt and Wnt signaling pathways.

Abstract
Hair loss affects men and women of all ages. Dermal papilla (DP) plays a crucial role in regulating the growth and cycling of hair follicles. Lactoferrin (LF) exhibits a wide range of biological functions, including antimicrobial activity and growth regulation. However, its effect on DP and its role in hair growth remain unknown. In this study, we found that bovine LF (bLF) promoted the proliferation of DP cells and enhanced the phosphorylation of Erk and Akt. The bLF-mediated proliferation was significantly blocked by the Erk phosphorylation inhibitor PD98059 or the Akt phosphorylation inhibitor LY294002. Moreover, biotin-labeled bLF could bind to DP cells, and the binding was independent of lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1, a known LF receptor. Importantly, bLF stimulated hair growth in both young and aged mice. Moreover, we also found that bLF significantly induced the expression of Wnt signaling-related proteins, including Wnt3a, Wnt7a, Lef1, and β-catenin. The bLF-mediated DP cell proliferation could be significantly reversed by the Wnt pathway inhibitor XAV939. Our findings suggest that bLF promotes hair growth in mice and stimulates proliferation of DP cells through Erk/Akt and Wnt signaling pathways. This study highlights a great potential of the use of bLF in developing drugs to treat hair loss.

study attached
 

NotInmywatch

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HairOnFire

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how much does it cost?

There are several brands of Lactoferrin. I use Jarrows Formula, and it's about $25 at iherb.com. Other vendors also sell this brand, though it is currently out of stock. I recently bought the Symbiotics brand (I've not tried it yet), but that, too, is also out of stock.
 

HairOnFire

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There are several brands of Lactoferrin. I use Jarrows Formula, and it's about $25 at iherb.com. Other vendors also sell this brand, though it is currently out of stock. I recently bought the Symbiotics brand (I've not tried it yet), but that, too, is also out of stock.

Life Extension also has a brand of Lactoferrin, as does Swanson's.
 

NotInmywatch

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Life Extension also has a brand of Lactoferrin, as does Swanson's.
to my surprise, it seems that a topical protein is really capable of enter the skin through hair follicles.
so, one could resuspend the contents in an aqueous solution and it should work. amazing.
 

NotInmywatch

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it is reported that lactoferrin is capable of survive the gastrointestinal passage preserved enough to have biological properties in the gut.
to think that it is going to reach hair follicle cells from there is quite absurd.
lactoferrin is like 200 times larger than any drug.
it would become the first non-alcoholic topical bioagent for hair loss. astounding.
they used 200mg/mL for mice in distilled water.
holy f*** we should try this asap, it is sideless.
 

dietcoke1987

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What exactly is the concentration one would try it at? There are multiple mentioned in the study. Would it be the 200mg/ml or the 40/mg/ml?

Regarding lactoferrin in the market in capsules is there a certain form a person should get or make sure to avoid? Life extention for example says it has "Apolactoferrin," while other brands just stated lactoferrin.

According to the study it seems like they cited a formulation where it has a good 6 month shelf life as a topical with likely I'm assuming the 15% trehalose preserving it. Trehalose is very easy to get and stimulates autophagy and is an antioxidant and good for hydration when used as a topical so it's also a win win to include. From what is mentioned in the paper I take it that lactoferrin would be synergistic with minoxidal or might actually be flat out superior? I bet this would be a topical well suited for application after dermaneedling too!
 
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whatevr

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Definitely topically. The only issue is sourcing.

All the ones I find come from NZ or AUS and they cost a fuckton. Can't find a place to buy like 25g of powder for at most 50-ish USD.

Using capsules would be a mess as you'd have to filter out the cellulose, magnesium stearate and other garbage.

If anyone finds any let me know.
 

dietcoke1987

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Definitely topically. The only issue is sourcing.

All the ones I find come from NZ or AUS and they cost a fuckton. Can't find a place to buy like 25g of powder for at most 50-ish USD.

Using capsules would be a mess as you'd have to filter out the cellulose, magnesium stearate and other garbage.

If anyone finds any let me know.

Your concerns are vastly exaggerated. There is just cellulose or rice flour to remove if using capsules which is not even remotely hard it settles to the bottom and you decant out the liquid. One brand has leucine the other vitamin C as far as additional ingredients, both of which aren't an issue requiring removal... Swanson brand has calcium which is a cellular toxin so I would avoid that formula. So life extention so far seems like a viable choice going by price. My concern is regarding the form the lactoferrin is stated as, I have no knowledge on if there is a difference.

https://www.swansonvitamins.com/life-extension-lactoferrin-caps-60-caps

https://www.swansonvitamins.com/nutricology-allergy-research-laktoferrin-1050-mg-120-veg-caps

https://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-ultra-high-potency-lactoferrin-100-mg-90-caps
 

RatherLurk

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From what I understand it reaches the follicle through pathways in the skin around the hair shaft.

The proposed formula has stability for 6 months:

"For commercialization of bLF, another paper [15]
showed that bLF in the new liquid formulation, containing
1mg/mL bLf, 1.74mg/mL arginine, 15% (w/v) trehalose,
and 0.02% (v/v) Tween 80 in 100mM sodium phosphate
buffer at pH 6.5, was stable under various storage conditions
for 6months."
 
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kiwipilu

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RatherLurk

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Tween 80 in 100mM sodium phosphatebuffer at pH 6.5, this might not be easy to get.

Also, the suggested formulation with 200mg would become quite thick for hair application with the arginine and trehalose.

Assuming the ratio between Lactoferrin and the arginine and Trehalose remains the same, this would mean 200mg Lactoferrin + 348mg Arginine + 150mg Trehalose in 1 mL.
 
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whatevr

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Tween 80 in 100mM sodium phosphatebuffer at pH 6.5, this might not be easy to get.

Also, the suggested formulation with 200mg would become quite thick for hair application with the arginine and trehalose.

Assuming the ratio between Lactoferrin and the arginine and Trehalose remains the same, this would mean 200mg Lactoferrin + 348mg Arginine + 150mg Trehalose in 1 mL.

Tween 80 is polysorbate 80, this can be found in many places.

PBS: https://www.amazon.com/Phosphate-Buffered-Saline-PBS-Sterile/dp/B00RKPGHUU

Or Ebay...
 

NotInmywatch

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apolactoferrin means "lactoferrin without its prosthetic group"
in this case, since the main function of lactoferrin is to transport iron , the apo version does not have iron.
despite that, it seems that the apo versio works well for its other functions, like anti inflammatory and etc.
lactoferrin is a basic protein, which means that is the pH is higher than 8.0 , specifically 8.7,
lactoferrin will not dissolve and will precipitate.
so pure water will have not-so-good solubility capabilities
that's the reason they are proposing pH 6.5 as storage medium.
nevertheless we simply could concoct short term batches, we do not require the 6 month commercial stability right now
 
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