Lysozyme
A natural antimicrobial enzyme abundant in human secretions, breast milk, and egg white. Used commercially as a food preservative (cheese) and sold OTC in Italy as a throat lozenge for pharyngitis. Direct RCT evidence in adults for sore throat or respiratory infections is limited and dated; no robust evidence for systemic oral supplementation for general 'immune support.' Carries a real allergen concern for people with egg allergy.
Quick decision guide
May help most
Adult use of lozenge-form lysozyme for sore throat in regions where it's marketed (Italy, parts of Asia) as an adjunct to symptomatic care. Industrial food-preservation use is the most established application.
Common dosing range
Throat lozenge formulations: 20 mg lysozyme per lozenge, 4–6 lozenges/day (regulatory products in Italy). Capsule supplements: highly variable (100–500 mg); no established evidence-based oral dose.
When to expect effects
Lozenges: local action while dissolving in the mouth. Systemic oral supplementation: most lysozyme is digested in the stomach, so any systemic effect is unproven.
Watch out for
Egg allergy — lysozyme is one of the major egg-white allergens (Gal d 4). Anyone with egg allergy must avoid lysozyme supplements, lozenges, AND lysozyme-containing cheeses or wines.
Evidence snapshot
What is it
Lysozyme is an enzyme that hydrolyzes peptidoglycan in bacterial cell walls. It is abundant in egg white, tears, saliva, and breast milk. Supplemental lysozyme is typically derived from egg white and used for upper respiratory and immune support.
Is it worth it for you?
Use this as a quick fit check, not a diagnosis.
Worth considering if…
Probably skip if…
Evidence at a glance
| Goal | Effect | Best fit | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
Local antimicrobial action in throat lozenges Limited Evidence | Symptomatic relief comparable to or modestly better than placebo lozenges in older Italian trials; no large modern RCTs | Adults in regions where the lozenge is regulated OTC, using it as an adjunct to standard sore-throat care | Minutes (local action while dissolving) |
Bovine lysozyme in infant formula (low-resource diarrheal disease) Limited Evidence | Lower incidence of bacterial gut colonization in pig models; small human trials suggest reduced diarrhoea duration. Public-health-scale benefit not yet established. | Formula-fed infants in low-resource settings with high diarrheal-disease burden — research-stage intervention | Cumulative protective effect over weeks of feeding |
Oral supplement for general 'immune support' or systemic antibacterial effect Mixed Evidence | No clinical-trial-grade evidence for systemic benefit from oral capsules | — | Not established |
Local antimicrobial action in throat lozenges
- Effect
- Symptomatic relief comparable to or modestly better than placebo lozenges in older Italian trials; no large modern RCTs
- Best fit
- Adults in regions where the lozenge is regulated OTC, using it as an adjunct to standard sore-throat care
- Time
- Minutes (local action while dissolving)
Bovine lysozyme in infant formula (low-resource diarrheal disease)
- Effect
- Lower incidence of bacterial gut colonization in pig models; small human trials suggest reduced diarrhoea duration. Public-health-scale benefit not yet established.
- Best fit
- Formula-fed infants in low-resource settings with high diarrheal-disease burden — research-stage intervention
- Time
- Cumulative protective effect over weeks of feeding
Oral supplement for general 'immune support' or systemic antibacterial effect
- Effect
- No clinical-trial-grade evidence for systemic benefit from oral capsules
- Best fit
- —
- Time
- Not established
Evidence for 3 uses
AI-assisted evidence assessment — talk to your doctor before relying on any single supplement.
Local antimicrobial action in throat lozenges
Supplement benefitLysozyme has been sold in Italy as an OTC throat lozenge for pharyngitis since the late 1950s, based on its in vitro lytic activity against Gram-positive bacteria (which dominate pharyngeal flora). Modern RCT evidence is sparse and dated; most trials are small, Italian-language, and predate modern methodological standards. The mechanism is plausible and the safety profile (at lozenge doses, for non-egg-allergic users) is good — but the evidence base is best described as 'long traditional use with limited modern controlled-trial confirmation.'
Bottom line: Reasonable local adjunct for sore throat in regions where it's regulated OTC; not a substitute for medical care of bacterial throat infections.
Bovine lysozyme in infant formula (low-resource diarrheal disease)
Mechanism onlyBreast milk lysozyme is associated with reduced diarrheal-disease incidence in breastfed vs formula-fed infants. Researchers (notably at UC Davis and Latin American collaborators) have developed transgenic-cow-derived lysozyme-enriched infant formulas; early controlled trials in pigs and humans suggest reduced infectious diarrhoea in formula-fed infants. This is a public-health research application, not a consumer supplement category.
Bottom line: Promising research direction for infant nutrition in specific contexts; not a consumer-supplement use case.
Oral supplement for general 'immune support' or systemic antibacterial effect
Mechanism onlyLysozyme is a protein and is rapidly digested in the stomach. Capsule supplements that promise 'natural antibiotic' or 'immune boost' effects from oral lysozyme have essentially no clinical-trial support for systemic action — what reaches the small intestine, let alone the bloodstream, is minimal. Local mouth/throat action via lozenges is mechanistically sensible; systemic oral capsule action is not.
Bottom line: If you're going to use lysozyme, use a lozenge for local effect — capsules don't have evidence for systemic action.
How it works
How to take it
What to track
Bottom line: Lozenge form for short-term sore-throat use is the most rational application. Capsules for systemic effect are not well-supported. Avoid entirely if you have egg allergy.
4 commercial forms
Compare the main delivery options and what they’re best suited for.
Throat lozenge (egg lysozyme)
Most rational20 mg lysozyme per lozenge in marketed Italian formulations (e.g., Lisozima, Hyalugel). Local action while dissolving in the mouth and throat. Generally well-tolerated; not a substitute for antibiotics if you have bacterial pharyngitis.
Local action only — minimal systemic absorption.
Capsule supplement (egg lysozyme)
Weak rationale100–500 mg per capsule; sold as 'natural antibiotic' or 'immune support.' Oral lysozyme is rapidly digested in the stomach, so systemic effect is unproven. The lozenge form has a clearer mechanism.
Largely digested in the stomach; systemic effect not established.
Food-additive lysozyme (E1105) in cheese and wine
Industrial useAdded to hard and semi-hard cheeses (Grana Padano, Provolone, others) to prevent late-blowing defects from Clostridium spp. Also used in some wines. Foods containing lysozyme must declare it as a derivative of egg — important for people with egg allergy.
Food preservative use; egg-allergen risk requires labelling.
Bovine lysozyme in research-stage infant formula
ResearchTransgenic-cow-derived lysozyme-enriched formula being studied as a public-health intervention in low-resource settings for reducing infant diarrhoea. Not a consumer-supplement category.
Research-stage; not commercially available as supplement.
Safety
Know the common side effects, key cautions, and who should avoid it.
Common side effects
Serious risks
EGG ALLERGY — Lysozyme is itself the second-most abundant egg-white allergen (Gal d 4). It retains its IgE-binding capacity when added to food. People with egg allergy can have systemic allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, from lysozyme supplements, lozenges, or lysozyme-containing cheeses and wines (where it's used as a preservative).
Sub-clinical egg allergens in lysozyme-preserved foods — FDA and EFSA both require labelling lysozyme as a derivative of egg in food preservation use. Undeclared lysozyme in wine and cheese has been a documented cause of allergic reactions in egg-allergic consumers.
Who should avoid it
- Anyone with egg allergy — lysozyme is a major egg-white allergen. Avoid supplements, lozenges, and lysozyme-containing cheeses (often hard Italian cheeses) and wines.
- Children under 6 (or per local product label) — most lozenge products are restricted by age (choking risk with lozenges; insufficient pediatric efficacy data).
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women considering high-dose supplements — no clinical safety data at supplement doses (food-preservative levels are considered safe).
Pregnancy & breastfeeding
Dietary lysozyme exposure (breast milk, lysozyme-preserved cheese) is part of normal life and considered safe in pregnancy if you don't have egg allergy. No safety data for high-dose supplements during pregnancy or breastfeeding — avoid pharmacological doses without obstetric guidance.
Bottom line: Generally safe at lozenge and food-additive doses for non-egg-allergic adults. Absolutely contraindicated in egg allergy. Pediatric and pregnancy supplement use are not well-supported.
Interactions
For egg-allergic individuals — lysozyme retains its allergenicity in foods and can cause systemic allergic reactions including anaphylaxis. Read labels carefully; lysozyme must be declared as a derivative of egg.
Lysozyme has its own narrow antimicrobial activity; theoretically additive but no clinically meaningful interactions documented. Use as adjunct to, not substitute for, prescribed antibiotics when those are needed.
Food sources
| Food | Amount | %DV |
|---|---|---|
| Egg white, raw — 1 large egg (~33 g) | ~3–4 mg lysozyme (~6–8% of egg-white protein when isolated) | — |
| Human breast milk | ~400 mg/L lysozyme (rises in later lactation) | — |
| Saliva, tears, nasal mucus | Endogenous human source; not a dietary supply | — |
| Hard cheeses with E1105 lysozyme preservative (Grana Padano, Provolone) | Trace residual lysozyme; egg-allergen risk for sensitive individuals | — |
Egg white, raw — 1 large egg (~33 g)
- Amount
- ~3–4 mg lysozyme (~6–8% of egg-white protein when isolated)
- %DV
- —
Human breast milk
- Amount
- ~400 mg/L lysozyme (rises in later lactation)
- %DV
- —
Saliva, tears, nasal mucus
- Amount
- Endogenous human source; not a dietary supply
- %DV
- —
Hard cheeses with E1105 lysozyme preservative (Grana Padano, Provolone)
- Amount
- Trace residual lysozyme; egg-allergen risk for sensitive individuals
- %DV
- —
Choosing a product
What to look for on the label — and what to be skeptical of.
Look for…
Be skeptical of…
Frequently asked questions
Can lysozyme treat infections?⌄
Not in any meaningful systemic sense. Some local benefit for sore throat is plausible from lozenge forms.
Is it safe for kids?⌄
Pediatric lozenges exist in some countries; egg allergy must be ruled out.
References by claim
Track Lysozyme with Pilora
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Coming to App StoreDisclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This page is educational, not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Evidence grades are AI-assisted assessments — talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement, especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, on medications, or managing a chronic condition.