Effect of high-dose iron supplements on fractional zinc absorption and status in pregnant women

Harvey, Linda J, Dainty, Jack R ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0056-1233, Hollands, Wendy J, Bull, Victoria J, Hoogewerff, Jurian A, Foxall, Robert J, McAnena, Liadhan, Strain, J J and Fairweather-Tait, Susan J ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1413-5569 (2007) Effect of high-dose iron supplements on fractional zinc absorption and status in pregnant women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 85 (1). pp. 131-136. ISSN 0002-9165

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Abstract

Background: Women have an increased risk of iron deficiency during pregnancy because of the demands of the developing fetus. Iron supplements are commonly advocated as a prophylactic treatment and are generally taken with meals to reduce side effects, but iron can interfere with the absorption of zinc. Objective: The aim was to determine the effect of consuming an iron supplement (100 mg Fe/d as ferrous gluconate) with meals from 16 wk gestation to term on zinc status and absorption. Design: Stable-isotope techniques were used to measure zinc status (exchangeable zinc pool, EZP) and fractional zinc absorption (FZA) in early and late pregnancy from a meal consumed at a different time from that of iron supplement or placebo consumption in 6 women given iron supplements and 7 given a placebo. Results: FZA increased during pregnancy, independent of iron supplementation. FZA was significantly higher (P < 0.001) at week 34 than at weeks 16 and 24, and urinary zinc excretion was higher at week 34 than at week 16 (P = 0.02). The size of the EZP remained unchanged throughout pregnancy and was unaffected by iron supplementation. The iron status of iron-supplemented women was higher than that of the placebo group. Conclusions: In iron-replete pregnant women who consumed a Western diet, no detectable adverse effects on zinc metabolism were observed after ingestion of 100 mg Fe/d. An increase in the efficiency of zinc absorption was observed during late pregnancy.

Item Type: Article
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School

Faculty of Science > School of Chemistry
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Nutrition and Preventive Medicine
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Musculoskeletal Medicine
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Lifespan Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Population Health
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Depositing User: Pure Connector
Date Deposited: 29 Jul 2014 12:24
Last Modified: 06 Jun 2024 14:49
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/49138
DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/85.1.131

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