Moderate Energy Restriction Does Not Cause a Deterioration in the Iron Status Due to an Iron‐Deficient Diet, While Exercise Ameliorates It

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of energy restriction and exercise on the iron status in rats fed a moderately iron‐deficient diet, 30 male rats (4 weeks old) were given a moderately iron‐deficient diet (13mg Fe/kg diet) for 3 weeks. Half of the rats were fed ad libitum (A), while the other half were restricted to only 70% of the diet consumed by A (D). The rats of groups A and D were also divided into subgroups, a climbing exercise group (E) (5 min×6 sets/d, 3 d/w) and a sedentary group (S). The body weight and weights of the liver, spleen, heart, kidney, flexor hallucis longus (FHL) were less (P<0.05) in D than A, and only FHL was affected by exercise (E>S, P<0.05). The iron content (μ g/g) in the liver and kidney was higher in D than A (P<0.05), while the content in the spleen also tended to be higher in D than A, whereas the iron content in the whole tissue tended to be higher in the spleen in A than D, while the other tissues showed no differences. Exercise increased the iron content in the kidney whereas no effect of exercise was observed in the other tissues. The plasma iron concentration did not differ between A and D. Total iron binding capacity (TIBC) was lower (P<0.05) in D than A. Hemoglobin (Hb) was higher (P<0.05) and transferrin saturation (TfS) tended to be higher in D than A. Plasma iron, Hb and TfS were higher (P<0.05) and TIBC was lower (P<0.05) in E than S. We conclude that moderate energy restriction does not appear to deteriorate the iron status induced by an iron deficient diet, while exercise appear to ameliorate the iron status.Grant Funding Source: Osaka Univ of Health and Sport sci