Fortification Iron as Ferrous Sulfate Plus Ascorbic Acid Is More Rapidly Absorbed Than as Sodium Iron EDTA but Neither Increases Serum Nontransferrin-Bound Iron in Women1–3
Open Access
- 1 May 2011
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Elsevier BV in Journal of Nutrition
- Vol. 141 (5), 822-827
- https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.110.136127
Abstract
The absorption profile of iron fortificants may be a determinant of their ability to generate nontransferrin-bound iron (NTBI) and, thus, their potential safety. Ferrous iron may be absorbed more rapidly than chelated ferric iron, but differences at the fortification level cannot be distinguished with nonisotopically labeled serum iron curves. Using stable isotope appearance curves (SIAC) in serum, we measured iron absorption profiles from FeSO4 with ascorbic acid (AA) and from NaFeEDTA, as well as the serum hepcidin and NTBI response following the meals. Healthy women (n = 16) were given 6 mg oral iron as labeled FeSO4 and NaFeEDTA with a maize porridge using a crossover design. SIAC, NTBI, and serum hepcidin were measured over 8 h after the meal. Iron from FeSO4 plus AA was more rapidly absorbed, resulting in a 35% greater relative AUC during the first 2 h than for NaFeEDTA (P < 0.001). Median (95% CI) fractional iron absorption from the FeSO4- and NaFeEDTA-fortified meals was 15.2% (11.0–19.5) and 6.0% (5.0–9.2), respectively (P < 0.001). In response to the FeSO4-fortified meal, there was an ~60% increase in median serum hepcidin (P < 0.05) but no significant change in NTBI. There was no significant change in serum hepcidin or NTBI after the NaFeEDTA-fortified meal. SIAC are a useful new tool to compare iron absorption profiles from different iron compounds in fortified foods. Even with the use of a very well absorbed ferrous iron compound, iron fortification in this population does not increase NTBI, suggesting a low risk for adverse health consequences.Keywords
This publication has 49 references indexed in Scilit:
- Afebrile Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia decreases absorption of fortification iron but does not affect systemic iron utilization: a double stable-isotope study in young Beninese womenThe American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2010
- Advances in Quantitative Hepcidin Measurements by Time-of-Flight Mass SpectrometryPLOS ONE, 2008
- Iron Homeostasis: Fitting the Puzzle Pieces TogetherCell Metabolism, 2008
- Non-transferrin-bound iron in plasma following administration of oral iron drugsBioMetals, 2007
- Validation of the clinical approach of using the induced serum iron increase after 1h as a measure of iron absorptionClinical Nutrition, 2006
- Monitoring of hematological, inflammatory and oxidative reactions to acute oral iron exposure in human volunteers: Preliminary screening for selection of potentially-responsive biomarkersToxicology, 2005
- Oral ferrous sulphate leads to a marked increase in pro-oxidant nontransferrin-bound ironEuropean Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2004
- Valence State of Iron in the Presence of Ascorbic Acid and Ethylenediaminetetraacetic AcidJournal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 1997
- Diurnal Variations of the Serum Iron in Normal Subjects and in Patients with HaemochromatosisBritish Journal of Haematology, 1969
- RED CELL, PLASMA, AND BLOOD VOLUME IN HEALTHY WOMEN MEASURED BY RADIOCHROMIUM CELL-LABELING AND HEMATOCRIT*JCI Insight, 1962