Influence of dietary fat and zinc supplementation on the iron utilization in growing rats
ANNALS OF NUTRITION AND METABOLISM, 51 (5):
395-401 (2007)Abstract
Background/Aims: There is increasing evidence that the amount and type
of dietary fat may modify the utilization of the trace element iron.
The present study investigated the effect of high amounts of fat of
different origin at marginal and high dietary zinc supply on the iron
utilization. Methods: Growing male rats, assigned to 1 of 6 groups of 8
animals each were fed diets that contained either 7 or 100 mu g zinc/g.
These diets were enriched with 0 or 22% fat as beef tallow (BT) or as
sunflower oil (SO) above the basal level of 3% soybean oil. Iron was
added as ferrous sulfate at 60 mu g/g of diet. Results: The apparent
iron absorption was markedly lower in the case of the high-fat diets at
either zinc level. The BT diets resulted in significantly higher iron
concentrations in the liver compared to both the SO and control diets.
Hemoglobin and hematocrit were not influenced by any of the treatments.
Conclusion: Although the high-fat diets reduced iron absorption, there
was no evidence for lower iron status parameters in blood and tissues.
In contrast, BT as a source of saturated fatty acids markedly elevated
liver iron concentrations. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.