Helaina is a biotechnology company that is creating a new category of adaptive nutrients by recreating human bioactive proteins. The company’s first ingredient — clinically studied Effera™ Human Lactoferrin — is a novel branded ingredient and the first human equivalent lactoferrin coming to market as a nutrient.

Lactoferrin is an abundant protein found in human colostrum. In maternal milk, it is found at levels around 7 to 10 g/L, which is considered incredibly high in any type of bodily fluid. Produced endogenously throughout the body, lactoferrin is also found in saliva, sweat, and tears.

Effera™ Human Lactoferrin plays a role across diverse functional areas that support women’s health benefits, including optimizing iron metabolism, supporting healthy iron levels without gastrointestinal side effects, providing prebiotic properties, and supporting innate and adaptive immune responses — all of which are important throughout a woman’s life. Specifically, Effera™ Human Lactoferrin regulates iron levels during stages of life when they can significantly fluctuate such as during menstruation, menopause, pregnancy, and lactation.

Effera™ Human Lactoferrin mirrors the structure and function as what is naturally found in the human body. With these properties of being able to uniquely interact with iron, Effera™ Human Lactoferrin can support immune function and a healthy inflammatory response, upregulate good bacteria in the gut to balance the microbiome, and support active nutrition lifestyles.