Biomedical subjects

A Mäurer

Publications and source records attributed to A Mäurer.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Haematological response to haem iron or ferrous sulphate mixed with refried black beans in moderately anaemic Guatemalan pre-school children.

OBJECTIVE: Combating iron deficiency in toddlers with iron-fortified food has proved difficult in countries with phytate-rich diets. For this purpose, a new haem iron preparation was developed. The study compared changes in iron status after administration of refried beans with beans fortified with a haem iron preparation or ferrous sulphate (FeSO4). DESIGN: In a masked, stratified-randomised intervention trial, children received five 156-g cans of refried black beans per week for 10 consecutive weeks. The beans-only (control), FeSO4 and haem iron groups were offered a cumulative dose of 155 mg, 1625 mg and 1700 mg of iron from the bean intervention, respectively. Haemoglobin (Hb) and ferritin concentrations were determined at baseline and after 5 and 10 weeks. Compliance was examined weekly. SETTING: A low-income community in Guatemala City. SUBJECTS: One hundred and ten children aged 12-36 months with initial Hb values between 100 and 115 g l(-1). RESULTS: The cumulative intake of beans was approximately 80% of that offered, signifying an additional approximately 1300 mg of either haem or inorganic iron in the corresponding treatment groups over 10 weeks. Hb concentrations increased by the order of 7.3-11.4 g l(-1) during the intervention, but without significant differences across treatments. Average ferritin concentrations were unaffected by treatment assignment. However, post hoc analysis by subgroups of initial high ferritin and initial low ferritin found the Hb increments after 10 weeks in the haem iron group (13.1+/-7.7 g l(-1)) to be significantly greater than the respective increases (6.8+/-11.2 and 6.4+/-8.5 g l(-1)) in the inorganic iron and beans-only groups. CONCLUSIONS: Canned refried beans are a candidate vehicle for fortificant iron. Given the improved colour and organoleptic properties imparted by haem iron added to refried beans, its additional potential for benefiting the iron status of consumers with iron deficiency may recommend it over FeSO4.

Anemia, Iron-Deficiency↗

PubMed1998

Iron supplementation.

Iron deficiency affects approx. 20% of the world population. Due to predominantly vegetarian diets that reduce the bioavailability of food iron drastically, deficiency states are most widely distributed in developing countries. In addition, iron demand is increased by blood losses and by fast growth which increases the risk of iron deficiency in infants, young adolescents, and in menstruating and pregnant women. The symptoms of iron deficiency include impaired physical and intellectual performance. Iron supplementation may help to break the vicious cycle between inadequate nutrition and poverty. Fortification programs have to consider social and health aspects, including provision against iron overload. Excess iron stores may promote cancer and increase the cardiovascular risk, though the latter is a subject of current debate. The best approach to control such risks is individual iron supplementation geared to the demand by adequate laboratory controls. However, this approach is too costly for general application in developing countries. Food-iron fortification has successfully reduced iron deficiency in many trials and, in comparison, is much cheaper. As iron deficiency is widely distributed in most developing countries, the risk of inducing iron overload in the general population is low. Genetically determined diseases that may lead to siderosis, such as hereditary haemochromatosis or thalassaemia major, show a limited geographic and ethnic distribution. Such subgroups can be largely avoided by targeting food-iron fortification to infants, young adolescents, or pregnant women. Food vehicle and iron compound have to be matched in order to optimise iron bioavailability and to avoid rancidity in food, spoiling its taste and odour. The fortification of salt, sugar and spice mixtures or of bakery products with a short shelf-life are valid approaches to this end. Alternatively, haem iron can be used to fortify cereal-based food staples in developing countries such as tortillas or chappaties. Thus, a variety of options is available to solve the technical problems of food iron fortification. However, optimal solutions have to be tailored to the individual situation in each country.

Anemia, Iron-Deficiency↗