Iron deficiency up-regulates iron absorption from ferrous sulphate but not ferric pyrophosphate and consequently food fortification with ferrous sulphate has relatively greater efficacy in iron-deficient individuals

• Published in: British journal of nutrition 2011-04, Vol.105 (8), p.1245-1250
• Main Authors: Zimmermann, Michael B., Biebinger, Ralf, Egli, Ines, Zeder, Christophe, Hurrell, Richard F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorption; Adolescent; Adult; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - blood; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - diet therapy; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - physiopathology; Bioavailability; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Availability; body iron; C-Reactive Protein - analysis; Child; children; controlled-trial; Diphosphates - pharmacokinetics; Diphosphates - therapeutic use; double-blind; dual fortification; expression; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; ferritin; Ferritins - blood; Ferrous Compounds - pharmacokinetics; Ferrous Compounds - therapeutic use; ferrous sulfate; Food additives; Food fortification; Food, Fortified - analysis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; hemochromatosis; Hemoglobins - analysis; Human and Clinical Nutrition; Humans; Intestinal Absorption; Intestines - physiopathology; iodine; Iodine - chemistry; Iron; Iron - pharmacokinetics; Iron - therapeutic use; iron absorption; Iron Isotopes; Iron, Dietary - administration & dosage; Iron, Dietary - therapeutic use; Male; Nutrient deficiency; Nutrition research; Nutritional Status - physiology; salt; schoolchildren; Sodium Chloride, Dietary; Solubility; Stable isotopes; Sulfates; test meals; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; women; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0007-1145; 1475-2662
• DOI: 10.1017/S0007114510004903

Fe absorption from water-soluble forms of Fe is inversely proportional to Fe status in humans. Whether this is true for poorly soluble Fe compounds is uncertain. Our objectives were therefore (1) to compare the up-regulation of Fe absorption at low Fe status from ferrous sulphate (FS) and ferric pyrophosphate (FPP) and (2) to compare the efficacy of FS with FPP in a fortification trial to increase body Fe stores in Fe-deficient children v. Fe-sufficient children. Using stable isotopes in test meals in young women (n 49) selected for low and high Fe status, we compared the absorption of FPP with FS. We analysed data from previous efficacy trials in children (n 258) to determine whether Fe status at baseline predicted response to FS v. FPP as salt fortificants. Plasma ferritin was a strong negative predictor of Fe bioavailability from FS (P