| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
ORIGINAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATION |
1 From the Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro, México (MD and JLR); the Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis (LHA and OPG); and the US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (SA).
Background: One potentially sustainable approach to improving iron status at the community level is to encourage the consumption of local ascorbic acid–rich foods, in conjunction with meals high in nonheme iron.
Objective: The study, conducted in rural Mexico, measured stable isotopes of iron to evaluate the effect on iron absorption of the addition of 25 mg ascorbic acid as agua de limón (limeade) to 2 typical meals per day for 2 wk.
Design: Fifteen nonpregnant, nonlactating, iron-deficient (ferritin < 12 µg/L) women (
± SD age: 28.3 ± 7.7 y) fasted overnight and were brought to a community clinic. After an initial blood sample, subjects consumed 0.25 mg 57Fe with both breakfast and lunch for 14 d. On day 29, another blood sample was taken, and a reference dose of 2.7 mg 58Fe with 25 mg ascorbic acid was given. For the following 15 d, participants consumed 0.25 mg 57Fe added to both breakfast and lunch with 25 mg ascorbic acid added to each meal as limeade. A final blood sample was taken on day 59.
Results: Iron absorption was calculated from recovery of isotopes in blood obtained 14 d after administration of each isotope. When 25 mg ascorbic acid as limeade was added to test meals twice a day for 2 wk, iron absorption increased significantly (P < 0.001) in every subject: the mean absorption rose from 6.6 ± 3.0% to 22.9 ± 12.6%.
Conclusions: The consumption of 25 mg ascorbic acid as limeade twice daily with meals substantially improved iron absorption and may improve the iron status of nonpregnant, nonlactating, iron-deficient women.
Key Words: Iron absorption • bioavailability • ascorbic acid • stable isotopes • Mexican diet
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  J. K. Patterson, X. G. Lei, and D. D. Miller The Pig as an Experimental Model for Elucidating the Mechanisms Governing Dietary Influence on Mineral Absorption Experimental Biology and Medicine, June 1, 2008; 233(6): 651 - 664. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Peneau, L. Dauchet, A.-C. Vergnaud, C. Estaquio, E. Kesse-Guyot, S. Bertrais, P. Latino-Martel, S. Hercberg, and P. Galan Relationship between iron status and dietary fruit and vegetables based on their vitamin C and fiber content Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, May 1, 2008; 87(5): 1298 - 1305. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. Thankachan, T. Walczyk, S. Muthayya, A. V Kurpad, and R. F Hurrell Iron absorption in young Indian women: the interaction of iron status with the influence of tea and ascorbic acid Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, April 1, 2008; 87(4): 881 - 886. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. W. Tengco, P. Rayco-Solon, J. A. Solon, J. N. Sarol Jr., and F. S. Solon Determinants of Anemia among Preschool Children in the Philippines J. Am. Coll. Nutr., April 1, 2008; 27(2): 229 - 243. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. L. Rosado, M. Diaz, K. Gonzalez, I. Griffin, S. A. Abrams, and R. Preciado The Addition of Milk or Yogurt to a Plant-Based Diet Increases Zinc Bioavailability but Does Not Affect Iron Bioavailability in Women J. Nutr., March 1, 2005; 135(3): 465 - 468. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. V. Kowdley High-Dose Vitamin C and Iron Overload Ann Intern Med, May 18, 2004; 140(10): 846 - 847. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
