title: The effect of cysteine-containing peptides released during meat digestion on iron absorption in humans.
abstract: In order to investigate the constituents responsible for the enhancing effect of meat on intestinal iron absorption in humans, two different types of peptic digestion extracts were prepared from 100 g of beef, in which the thiol groups of the resulting peptides were either oxidized (CYS-), or left untreated (CYS+). The absorption of radioiron mixed with 250 g of maize was more than twofold greater when consumed along with the CYS+ extract than with the CYS- (p less than 0.05). It is suggested that the enhancing effect of meat on nonheme iron absorption is due to cysteine, and that cysteine-containing peptides, rather than the free amino acid, are responsible for this effect.
mesh_terms: D003545:Cysteine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004063:Digestion; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008460:Meat; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D007501:Iron; D003545:Cysteine