Zinc Absorption from Micronutrient Powder Is Low but Is not Affected by Iron in Kenyan Infants

Nutrients

Fabian Esamai¹  Edward Liechty³  Justus Ikemeri¹  Jamie Westcott²  Jennifer Kemp²  Diana Culbertson²  Leland V. Miller²  K. Michael Hambidge² 

[1] Moi University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 4606, Eldoret 30100, Kenya; E-Mails:;Section of Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; E-Mails:;Indiana University School of Medicine, 705 Riley Hospital Drive, Room 5900, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; E-Mail:

关键词: zinc absorption;    micronutrient powders;    iron supplementation;    malaria;    Kenya;   

DOI  :  10.3390/nu6125636

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Interference with zinc absorption is a proposed explanation for adverse effects of supplemental iron in iron-replete children in malaria endemic settings. We examined the effects of iron in micronutrient powder (MNP) on zinc absorption after three months of home fortification with MNP in maize-based diets in rural Kenyan infants. In a double blind design, six-month-old, non-anemic infants were randomized to MNP containing 5 mg zinc, with or without 12.5 mg of iron (MNP + Fe and MNP − Fe, respectively); a control (C) group received placebo powder. After three months, duplicate diet collections and zinc stable isotopes were used to measure intake from MNP + non-breast milk foods and fractional absorption of zinc (FAZ) by dual isotope ratio method; total absorbed zinc (TAZ, mg/day) was calculated from intake × FAZ. Mean (SEM) TAZ was not different between MNP + Fe (n = 10) and MNP − Fe (n = 9) groups: 0.85 (0.22) and 0.72 (0.19), respectively, but both were higher than C (n = 9): 0.24 (0.03) (p = 0.04). Iron in MNP did not significantly alter zinc absorption, but despite intakes over double estimated dietary requirement, both MNP groups’ mean TAZ barely approximated the physiologic requirement for age. Impaired zinc absorption may dictate need for higher zinc doses in vulnerable populations.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.