IRON-ABSORPTION IN RELATION TO IRON STATUS - MODEL PROPOSED TO EXPRESS RESULTS OF FOOD IRON-ABSORPTION MEASUREMENTS

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 27  (3) , 201-208
Abstract
The absorption from a 3-mg dose of ferrous iron was measured in 250 male human subjects. The absorption was related to the log concentration of serum ferritin in 186 subjects of whom 99 were regular blood donors (r = -0.76), and to bone marrow hemosiderin grading in 52 subjects with varying iron status. The purpose was to establish a percentage absorption from such a dose that is representative of subjects who are borderline iron deficient. This information is necessary for food iron absorption studies in order to calculate the absorption of iron from the diet at a given iron status and compare the absorption of iron from different meals studied in different groups of subjects by different investigators. Apparently, an absorption of .apprx. 40% of a 3-mg reference dose of ferrous iron is given in a fasting state, roughly corresponds to the absorption in borderline-iron-deficient subjects. This 40% absorption value corresponds to a serum ferritin level of 30 .mu.g/l and food iron absorption in a group of subjects should be expressed preferably as the absorption corresponding to a reference-dose absorption of 40%, or possibly a serum ferritin level of 30 .mu.g/l.

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