Bioevaluation of dietary iron in growing rats. I. Relationship between the iron level in a milk power diet and the response of growing rats
Koivistoinen, P.; Ahlström, A.; Jäppinen, T.
Nutritio et Dieta; European Review of Nutrition and Dietetics 10(4): 241-253
1968
ISSN/ISBN: 0550-4031 PMID: 4235062 Document Number: 2770
Six groups of weanling male rats were fed for about two months with a low-iron milk powder diet supplemented with ferrous salt to iron levels of 8, 11, 18, 29, 60 and 216 mg/kg dry diet. At the lowest level the rats developed a microcytic and hypochromic anemia with a clear indication of oligocythemia. In addition a pronounced cardiomegaly and splenomegaly occurred. At the two higher iron levels the anemia was much milder and showed only microcytic and hypochromic characteristics. The parameters used for evaluating the physiological sufficiency of dietary iron in the rat indicated that the maximal weight gain was produced with 18 mg Fe/kg and a non-anemic hematological picture was obtained with 29 mg Fe/kg which concentration proved to be in this experiment the physiological optimum of the dietary iron. The higher iron concentrations (60 and 216 mg/kg) decreased food efficiency values indicating an adverse physiological effect of excessive iron administration. In addition, the highest concentration decreased the relative liver and spleen weights in regard to the general pattern occurring at the lower dietary iron levels.
Document emailed within 1 workday
