title: Micronutrient bioavailability: Dietary Reference Intakes and a future perspective.
abstract: This article provides a review of how the challenge of bioavailability was approached in establishing the Dietary Reference Intakes, with a special focus on folic acid, vitamin B-12, beta-carotene, iron, selenium, and zinc, the targeted micronutrients for this workshop. In a future perspective, the necessity of having a clear working definition of bioavailability is emphasized. The bioavailability of micronutrients should be considered, with advantage, under subheadings determined by the broad factors that affect bioavailability. Special emphasis is given to giving greater and specific attention to factors involved in the maintenance of homeostasis. These factors, it is argued, are best considered separately from even a broad definition of bioavailability and have the potential to provide new insights into some micronutrient requirements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Section of Nutrition, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO 80045, USA. michael.hambidge@ucdenver.edu
authors.forename: K Michael
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Hambidge
mesh_terms: D001682:Biological Availability; D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology*; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D019266:Iron, Dietary; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000378:metabolism*; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D010070:Oxalates / Q000378:metabolism; D010833:Phytic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D019266:Iron, Dietary; D018977:Micronutrients; D010070:Oxalates; D002338:Carotenoids; D010833:Phytic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12