IRON RELEASE FROM THE STORES: A MECHANISM IN MAINTENANCE OF CONCENTRATION OF HEMOGLOBIN IN LOW‐BIRTH‐WEIGHT INFANTS

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Abstract
After the resuming of the postnatal red cell production at 2 mo. of age infants are dependent on storage Fe due to the great need for Fe at a time when the Fe content of the diet is low. This is even further accentuated in low-birth-weight infants. The release of storage Fe in the Hb pool was studied. During the 2 mo. period from 2-4 mo. of age at least 20 mg of Fe/month was transferred from the storage sites for Hb production. This amount represents 5 mg/kg of body wt and exceeds the rate Fe was mobilized from storage sites in an adult male under experimental conditions. Rapid weight gain was associated with early depletion of Fe stores. Residual Fe stores in infants with the slowest growth rate could not maintain the level of Hb achieved in Fe-supplemented low-birth-weight infants. In rapidly growing low-birth-weight infants the need of Fe for erythropoiesis is so great that Fe deficient erythropoiesis may develop in the presence of Fe stores if the diet is not supplemented with Fe.

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