Anemia is associated with hypercholesterolemia in rats only when liver iron is elevated

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The objective of this study was designed to answer the question whether anemia per se is a potential inducer of hyperlipidemia. For this purpose, two types of anemia were induced; copper-deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia. Seventy-two weanling male Sprague–Dawley rats were assigned randomly to 12 dietary groups differing in the levels of copper, iron, and the types of dietary carbohydrates. The rats were fed either a copper-deficient (0.6 μg Cu/g) or adequate (6.0 μg Cu/g) diets containing either low (5), adequate (50), or high (500) μg Fe/g The diets also contained fructose or starch as the sole source of dietary carbohydrate. All iron-deficient rats became anemic. Copper-deficient rats developed anemia only when they consumed the diet containing fructose and when they consumed the high levels of dietary iron. Anemia, per se, was not associated with elevated levels of blood cholesterol or triglycerides unless the diet consumed was deficient in copper and was either high in iron or contained fructose. The most severe hypercholesterolemia developed in rats fed the copper-deficient diet, which contained high levels of iron. These rats also exhibited high levels of liver iron. The highest degree of hypertriglyceridemia developed in copper-deficient rats fed the fructose-based diet. Data show that anemia per se was not associated with hypercholesterolemia. Similarly, excess liver iron by itself was not accompanied with hypercholesterolemia. The combination of anemia with excess liver iron was instrumental in raising blood cholesterol. J. Trace Elem. Exp. Med. 14:81–87, 2001. Published 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.