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An iron fortification efficacy study in children in Cote d’Ivoire supports the suggestion that tissue iron is protected at the expense of erythrocyte iron

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 72, pages 1229–1233 (2018)Cite this article

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When the combined iron supply from food and recycled red cells is insufficient, iron stores are utilized and gradually depleted, resulting ultimately in iron deficiency (ID) defined as lack of iron stores but normal red cell hemoglobin levels. Erythrocyte hemoglobin eventually decreases below normal ranges and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) results. Globally, 1.6 billion people are estimated to be anemic. These are mainly women and children living in the developing countries of Africa, Asia, and South America [3]. Anemia, however. has multiple origins and IDA due to low dietary iron absorption is estimated to account for only about 50% of global anemia, with infection/inflammation and hemoglobinopathies being the other major causes. In Sub Saharan Africa, low dietary iron bioavailability and infection/inflammation are equally important causes of anemia [4] that can affect 50% or more of the women and young children living in resource-poor populations.

The negative health consequences of ID and IDA caused by low dietary iron absorption or infection/inflammation are reported to include poor brain development in fetus and young child, poor iodine utilization, reduced work capacity, and poor pregnancy outcome, including decreased survival of a child born with low iron status [5].

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  1. Laboratory for Human Nutrition, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zürich, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland

    Richard F Hurrell

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Hurrell, R.F. An iron fortification efficacy study in children in Cote d’Ivoire supports the suggestion that tissue iron is protected at the expense of erythrocyte iron. Eur J Clin Nutr 72, 1229–1233 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-018-0221-z

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