Measurement of Iron Absorption and Iron Gains from Birth to 6 Months in Breastfed and Formula-fed Infants Using Iron Isotope Dilution

Overview

Journal Sci Adv

Specialties Biology
Science

Date 2024 Jul 10

PMID 38985881

Authors

Nicole U Stoffel

Ana Carla Cepeda-Lopez

Christophe Zeder

Isabelle Herter-Aeberli

Michael B Zimmermann

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Little is known about iron kinetics in early infancy. We administered stable iron isotopes to pregnant women and used maternal-fetal iron transfer to enrich newborn body iron. Dilution of enriched body iron by dietary iron with natural isotopic composition was used to assess iron kinetics from birth to 6 months. In breastfed (BF, n = 8), formula-fed (FF, n = 7), or mixed feeding (MF, n = 8) infants, median (interquartile range) iron intake was 0.27, 11.19 (10.46-15.55), and 4.13 (2.33-6.95) mg/day; iron absorbed was 0.128 (0.095-0.180), 0.457 (0.374-0.617), and 0.391 (0.283-0.473) mg/day (BF versus FF, P < 0.01); and total iron gains were 0.027 (-0.002-0.055), 0.349 (0.260-0.498), and 0.276 (0.175-0.368) mg/day (BF versus FF, P < 0.001; BF versus MF, P < 0.05). Isotope dilution can quantify long-term iron absorption and describe the trajectory of iron depletion during early infancy.

Citing Articles

Assessing Human Iron Kinetics Using Stable Iron Isotopic Techniques.

Stoffel N, Zeder C, Zimmermann M Clin Pharmacokinet. 2024; 63(10):1389-1405.

PMID: 39414725 PMC: 11522093. DOI: 10.1007/s40262-024-01421-z.

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