Measurement of long-term iron absorption and loss during iron supplementation using a stable isotope of iron (57Fe)
Corresponding Author
Cornelia Speich
Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
Cornelia Speich and Rita Wegmüller contributed equally to this study.
Correspondence: Cornelia Speich, Laboratory of Human Nutrition, ETH Zürich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorRita Wegmüller
Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
MRC Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
Cornelia Speich and Rita Wegmüller contributed equally to this study.
Search for more papers by this authorGary M. Brittenham
Department of Pediatrics, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, USA
Search for more papers by this authorChristophe Zeder
Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
Search for more papers by this authorColin I. Cercamondi
Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
Search for more papers by this authorDaniela Buhl
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Cantonal Hospital Luzern, Luzern, Switzerland
Search for more papers by this authorAndrew M. Prentice
MRC Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
Search for more papers by this authorMichael B. Zimmermann
Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
Senior authors.
Search for more papers by this authorDiego Moretti
Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
Nutrition Group, Health Department, Swiss Distance University of Applied Sciences, Regensdorf, Switzerland
Senior authors.
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Cornelia Speich
Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
Cornelia Speich and Rita Wegmüller contributed equally to this study.
Correspondence: Cornelia Speich, Laboratory of Human Nutrition, ETH Zürich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorRita Wegmüller
Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
MRC Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
Cornelia Speich and Rita Wegmüller contributed equally to this study.
Search for more papers by this authorGary M. Brittenham
Department of Pediatrics, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, USA
Search for more papers by this authorChristophe Zeder
Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
Search for more papers by this authorColin I. Cercamondi
Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
Search for more papers by this authorDaniela Buhl
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Cantonal Hospital Luzern, Luzern, Switzerland
Search for more papers by this authorAndrew M. Prentice
MRC Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
Search for more papers by this authorMichael B. Zimmermann
Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
Senior authors.
Search for more papers by this authorDiego Moretti
Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
Nutrition Group, Health Department, Swiss Distance University of Applied Sciences, Regensdorf, Switzerland
Senior authors.
Search for more papers by this authorSummary
We report the first measurements of long-term iron absorption and loss during iron supplementation in African children using a stable isotope of iron (57Fe). After uniform labelling of body iron with 57Fe, iron absorption is proportional to the rate of decrease in the 57Fe tracer concentration, while iron loss is proportional to the rate of decrease in the 57Fe tracer amount. Anaemic Gambian toddlers were given 2 mg 57Fe orally to equilibrate with total body iron over 8–11 months. After assignment to the positive control arm of the HIGH study, 22 toddlers consumed a micronutrient powder containing 12 mg iron for 12 weeks followed by 12 weeks without iron supplementation. Their daily iron absorption increased 3·8-fold during the iron supplementation period compared to the control period [median (interquartile range, IQR): 1·00 (0·82; 1·28) mg/day vs. 0·26 (0·22; 0·35) mg/day; P = 0·001]. Unexpectedly, during the supplementation period, daily iron loss also increased by 3·4-fold [0·75 (0·55; 0·87) mg/day vs. 0·22 (0·19; 0·29) mg/day; P = 0·005]. Consequently, most (~72%) of the absorbed iron was lost during supplementation. Long-term studies of iron absorption and loss are a promising and accurate method for assessing and quantifying long-term iron balance and may provide a reference method for evaluating iron intervention programs in vulnerable population groups. This study was registered as ISRCTN 0720906.
Conflicts of interest
The authors have no competing interests.
Supporting Information
| Filename | Description |
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| bjh17039-sup-0001-Supinfo.docxWord document, 260.3 KB |
Fig S1. Schematic description of changes in the concentration of an isotopic iron tracer in circulating blood over time. Fig S2. Rate of change of body iron kabs during iron supplementation period control period as a fuction of time elapsed since 57Fe tracer administration. Table SI. Isotope measures at baseline, supplementation end point, and at the end of the control period (study end). Data S1. Description of laboratory and statistical methods. Data S2. Calculation of total body iron (Fetotal). Data S3. Calculation of 57Fe tracer concentration. |
Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.
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