Nutritive Value of Food Iron

Abstract

The absorption of wheat iron in normal and in iron-deficient human subjects has been compared to that of hemoglobin, ferritin and iron salts. It is shown that food iron compounds are less available for absorption than iron salts, and that wheat iron is less available than either hemoglobin or ferritin. There is also considerably less enchancement in absorption of wheat iron in the iron-deficient subject. It may be concluded that some forms of food iron are poor sources of iron and that the mucosal regulation is of limited effectiveness in respect to such compounds.