Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T13:57:36.776Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The effectiveness of various iron-supplementation regimens in improving the Fe status of anaemic rats

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

A. J. A Wright
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Food ResearchColney Lane, Norwich NR4 7UA
Susan Southon
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Food ResearchColney Lane, Norwich NR4 7UA
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Less frequent iron supplementation may be equally as beneficial to Fe-deficient subjects as routine daily supplementation because of the short-term suppressive effect of oral dosing with large amounts of Fe on subsequent Fe absorption. In the present study, the possibility that the administration of an Fe supplement every 2nd or 3rd day may be as effective in improving Fe status as a daily supplement was investigated in anaemic rats. Anaemic rats were given a 4 mg Fe supplement every day, on alternate days or every 3rd day, as a single dose with a midday meal or as a multiple dose with a morning, midday and evening meal. A low-Fe diet (13 mg/kg) was given at all other times. After 7 d, erythrocyte count, packed cell volume, mean cell volume, haemoglobin concentration and total liver Fe were measured and compared with those of meal-fed rats which had not been given any supplemental Fe. Rats which received a supplement every 3rd day, a total supplement of 12 mg, had a similar Fe status to those receiving a daily supplement, a total supplement of 28 mg. Administration of the supplement as a multiple, rather than as a single dose did not improve recovery from the Fe deficiency. It is suggested that less frequent supplementation with a smaller total amount of Fe, should be considered in human subjects. Such a regimen would minimize unpleasant side-effects of oral Fe therapy, decrease the risk of adverse effects of Fe on the absorption of other essential minerals and substantially cut the cost of supplementation programmes.

Type
Minerals, Nutrition, Metabolism, Bioavailability
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1990

References

REFERENCES

American Institute of Nutrition (1977). Report of the American Institute of Nutrition ad hoc committee on standards for nutritional studies. Journal of Nutrition 107, 13401348.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bothwell, T. H., Charlton, R. W., Cook, J. D. & Finch, C. A. (1979). Iron Metabolism in Man, pp, 261262. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications.Google Scholar
Department of Health and Social Security (1979). Recommended daily amounts of food energy and nutrients for groups of people in the United Kingdom. Report on Health and Social Subjects no. 15. London: H.M. Stationery Office.Google Scholar
Fairweather-tait, S. J. (1986). Iron availability - the implications of short-term regulation. Nutrition Bulletin 11, 174180.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fairweather-tait, S. J. & Minski, M. J. (1986). Studies on iron availability in man, using stable isotope techniques. British Journal of Nutrition 55, 279285.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fairweather-tait, S. J. & Southon, S. (1989). Studies of iron:zinc interactions in adult rats and the effect of iron fortification of two commercial infant weaning products on iron and zinc status of weanling rats. Journal of Nutrition 119, 599606.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fairweather-Tait, S. J., Swindell, T. E. & Wright, A. J. A. (1985). Further studies in rats on the influence of previous iron intake on the estimation of bioavailability of Fe. British Journal of Nutrition 54, 7986.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fairweather-Tait, S. J. & Wright, A. J. A. (1984).The influence of previous intake on the estimation of bioavailability of iron from a test meal given to rats. British Journal of Nutrition 51, 185191.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Heinrich, H. C., Bruggemann, J., Gabbe, E. E. & Glaser, M. (1977). Correlation between diagnostic 59Feabsorption and serum ferritin concentration in man. Zeitschrift Fur Naturforshung 32C, 10231025.Google Scholar
O'neill-cutting, M. A. & Crosby, W. H. (1987). Blocking of iron absorption by a preliminary oral dose of iron. Archives of Internal Medicine 147, 489491.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Solomons, N. W. (1986). Competitive interaction of iron and zinc in the diet: consequences for human nutrition. Journal of Nutrition 116, 927935.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Solomons, N. W., Pineda, O., Viteri, F. & Sandstead, H. H. (1983). Studies on the bioavailability of zinc in human: mechanism of the intestinal interaction on non-heme Fe and zinc. Journal of Nutrition 113, 337– 349.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Solvell, L. (1970). Oral iron therapy-side effects. In Iron Deficiency: Pathogenesis, Clinical Aspects, Therapy, pp. 573583 [Hallberg, L., Harwerth, H.-G and Vannotti, A. editors].London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Southon, S., Johnson, I. T., Gee, J. M. & Price, K. R. (1988). The effect of gypsophila saponins in the diet on mineral status and plasma cholesterol concentration in the rat. British Journal of Nutrition 59, 4955.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Southon, S., Wright, A. J. A. & Fairweather-tait, S. J. (1989). The effect of combined dietary iron, calcium and folic acid supplementation on apparent 65Zn absorption and Zn status in pregnant rats. British Journal of Nutrition 62, 415423.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wright, A. J. A., Southon, S.& Fairweather-Tait, S. J. (1989). Measurement of non-haem-iron absorption in non-anaemic rats using 59Fe: can the Fe content of duodenal mucosal cells cause lumen or mucosal radioisotope dilution, or both, thus resulting in the underestimation of Fe absorption? British Journal of Nutrition 62, 719727.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed