Abstract
Studies have reported a positive effect of prebiotics on the bioavailability of iron. This study evaluated the effect of partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) on iron absorption mechanisms in anemic rats. Male Wistar rats were fed 75g American Institute of Nutrition Rodent Diets for growth, pregnancy and lactation (AIN93-G) without iron for three weeks in order to induce iron deficiency anemia. Then they were fed a control diet (n = 12; without fiber) or a diet with 7.5% of PHGG (n = 12), both without iron. Food intake, body growth and the feed efficiency coefficient (FEC) were measured. The animals were euthanized after two weeks of treatment. The weight of the organs, the pH of the cecal content, and the hepatic iron and ferroportin expression in the cecum, duodenum, and liver were assessed. The intake of PHGG reduced food intake without affecting body growth, and there was a difference between the groups regarding the FEC (p = 0.026), with the highest value found in the PHGG group. The weight of the cecal content increased (p ≤ 0.001) and the pH of the cecal content was significantly lower in the PHGG group. The intake of PHGG significantly increased ferroportin expression in the cecum;however, the difference was not significant in the duodenum and the liver. PHGG seems to have a positive influence on iron absorption through transporter expression, and structural and physiological changes in the colon of anemic growing animals.
Highlights
Iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency in the world, in developing countries, but it is common in developed countries [1]
In the two-week assessment period the partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) group showed lower values regarding the total intake, which were significantly different from the results of the control group;there was no statistically significant difference between both groups in weight and body length
This study aimed to identify responses to the finding of Freitas et al [12], and the result is consistent with the findings of these authors who reported that during a three-week experiment, the hemoglobin count was higher in the PHGG group than in the cellulose and control groups (p < 0.001)
Summary
Iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency in the world, in developing countries, but it is common in developed countries [1]. Children are among the groups of people vulunerable to iron deficiency anemia due to hematopoiesis, fast growth, and an active metabolic state that requires several micronutrients, especially in the first three years of life [5,6]. The malabsorption of iron, and monotonous diets with low bioavailability of the mineral, especially in periods of high requirements, are the main causes of anemia [1,6]. The role of some food components, such as prebiotics, has received special attention in the metabolism and absorption of iron [7,8,9]. As described in the literature, prebiotics act on the absorption of minerals by generating short-chain fatty acids forming soluble complexes, increasing the surface
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