title: Food iron absorption in man II. The effect of EDTA on absorption of dietary non-heme iron.
abstract: One hundred and eighty iron absorption tests were performed in 45 normal men to determine the effect of EDTA on the absorption of dietary non-heme iron. The addition of 50 mg EDTA to test meals containing 4.1 mg iron reduced absorption by approximately one-half from meals of both high (standard meal) and low (semisynthetic meal) iron availability. Studies employing dual radioiron labels demonstrated complete isotopic exchange of ferric EDTA with dietary non-heme iron. Further studies were carried out to determine the decrease in food iron absorption at varying levels of EDTA. At a 1:1 molar ratio of EDTA to iron, absorption of non-heme iron was reduced to 72% and at a 2:1 molar ratio, to 50% of absorption without EDTA. These levels of EDTA are within the range believed to be present in the United States diet.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D004032:Diet; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D005520:Food Preservatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005520:Food Preservatives; D014168:Transferrin; D005293:Ferritins; D004492:Edetic Acid; D007501:Iron