title: Dietary cellulose has no effect on the regeneration of hemoglobin in growing rats with iron deficiency anemia.
abstract: The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of cellulose on intestinal iron absorption in rats during recovery from iron deficiency anemia. Twenty-one-day-old male Wistar-EPM rats were fed an iron-free ration for two weeks to induce anemia. At 5 weeks of age, the rats were divided into two groups (both groups receiving 35 mg of elemental iron per kg diet): cellulose group (N = 12), receiving a diet containing 100 g of cellulose/kg and control (N = 12), receiving a diet containing no cellulose. The fresh weight of the feces collected over a 3-day period between the 15th and 18th day of dietary treatment was 10.7 +/- 3.5 g in the group receiving cellulose and 1.9 +/- 1.2 g in the control group (P<0.001). Total food intake was higher in the cellulose group (343.4 +/- 22.0 g) than in the control (322.1 +/- 13.1 g, P = 0.009) during the 3 weeks of dietary treatment. No significant difference was observed in weight gain (cellulose group = 132.8 +/- 19.2, control = 128.0 +/- 16.3 g), hemoglobin increment (cellulose group = 8.0 +/- 0.8, control = 8.0 +/- 1.0 g/dl), hemoglobin level (cellulose group = 12.3 +/- 1.2, control = 12.1 +/- 1.3 g/dl) or in hepatic iron levels (cellulose group = 333.6 +/- 112.4, control = 398.4 +/- 168.0 g/g dry tissue). We conclude that cellulose does not adversely affect the regeneration of hemoglobin, hepatic iron level or the growth of rats during recovery from iron deficiency anemia.
authors.affiliation: Disciplina de Gastroenterologia Pediâtrica, Departamento de Pediatria, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Catani
authors.forename: O M S
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Amâncio
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Fagundes-Neto
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Morais
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy*; D000818:Animals; D002482:Cellulose / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000502:physiology*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D004043:Dietary Fiber; D006454:Hemoglobins; D002482:Cellulose; D007501:Iron