The study aims at assessing the iron (Fe) bioavailability from a newly developed iron compound - an iron fatty acid complex. The iron from the compound is hypothesized to have a higher absorption rate than commonly available supplements in the market. The study is a cross over, human iron isotope study with three arms where participants consume the experimental dietary products in a randomized fashion. The study duration is of 45 days - from the day of the capsule administration till the last blood sampling point
Iron deficiency remains a major public health concern in both industrialized and non-industrialized (developing) countries. Most supplements in the present day, to address the problem of iron deficiency, are in the form of ferrous salts, especially ferrous sulfate. Ferrous salts are absorbed by the non-heme iron pathway involving the Divalent Metal Transporter 1 (DMT-1) receptor, where the absorption rate is 20% of the total iron content. The common strategy of the food supplement industries is to increase the iron load in the supplements to provide the necessary amount of iron, compensating for the low absorption rate. However, these have side effects associated with the high dosage. Instead of a high dosage, a more effective strategy would be to incorporate the iron in a way that the absorption rate is maximized. The intervention product, an iron fatty acid complex (IFAC), containing 12 mg of iron, is expected to be absorbed as effective as any ferrous sulfate supplement in the market due to the alternative metabolic route that is hypothesized to be taken by the complex. The first week of the study comprises of the administration of the capsules containing the complexes to the participants on day 1 , day 3 and day 5 of the study respectively. Blood samples are collected on day 10,20, 30 and 40 and 160 days after the last day of the capsule administration.. The primary objectives of this trial are: To assess the iron bioavailability from the developed iron salt fatty acid complexes (IFAC) and micro-emulsified iron fatty acid complex (MIFAC) and compare it with the bioavailability of the reference ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) To investigate whether the MIFAC promotes absorption compared to IFAC and the reference. Fractional iron absorption from the three intervention products will be calculated based on the shift of the stable iron isotope ratios in collected blood samples at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 160 days after administration of the stable isotopically labelled capsules. Stable iron isotope ratios will be determined by mass spectrometry.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
29
This intervention will contain the iron fatty acid complex in a capsule. The complex will be labelled with the iron isotope 58Fe
This intervention will contain the micellarized form of the iron fatty acid complex in a capsule. The complex will be labelled with the iron isotope with 57Fe
This intervention will contain ferrous sulfate in the form of a solution labelled with the iron isotope 54Fe. A capsule with the same amount of fat as in the other arms will be administered to the participants
Lab of Human Nutrition, ETH Zurich
Zurich, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland
Fractional iron absorption from IFAC
The primary outcome is the fractional iron absorption, which will be compared in predefined comparisons from the three different capsules that will be administered to the study participants. Relative bioavailability, defined as the ratio of fractional absorption relative to the reference dose (absorption measured from encapsulated FeSO4), will be also compared in predefined comparisons.
Time frame: Day 10 of the study
Fractional iron absorption from IFAC
The primary outcome is the fractional iron absorption, which will be compared in predefined comparisons from the three different capsules that will be administered to the study participants. Relative bioavailability, defined as the ratio of fractional absorption relative to the reference dose (absorption measured from encapsulated FeSO4), will be also compared in predefined comparisons.
Time frame: Day 20 of the study
Fractional iron absorption from IFAC
The primary outcome is the fractional iron absorption, which will be compared in predefined comparisons from the three different capsules that will be administered to the study participants. Relative bioavailability, defined as the ratio of fractional absorption relative to the reference dose (absorption measured from encapsulated FeSO4), will be also compared in predefined comparisons.
Time frame: Day 30 of the study
Fractional iron absorption from IFAC
The primary outcome is the fractional iron absorption, which will be compared in predefined comparisons from the three different capsules that will be administered to the study participants. Relative bioavailability, defined as the ratio of fractional absorption relative to the reference dose (absorption measured from encapsulated FeSO4), will be also compared in predefined comparisons.
Time frame: Day 40 of the study
Fractional iron absorption from IFAC
The primary outcome is the fractional iron absorption, which will be compared in predefined comparisons from the three different capsules that will be administered to the study participants. Relative bioavailability, defined as the ratio of fractional absorption relative to the reference dose (absorption measured from encapsulated FeSO4), will be also compared in predefined comparisons.
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Time frame: Day 160 of the study
Fractional iron absorption from MIFAC
The primary outcome is the fractional iron absorption, which will be compared in predefined comparisons from the three different capsules that will be administered to the study participants. Relative bioavailability, defined as the ratio of fractional absorption relative to the reference dose (absorption measured from encapsulated FeSO4), will be also compared in predefined comparisons.
Time frame: Day 10 of the study
Fractional iron absorption from MIFAC
The primary outcome is the fractional iron absorption, which will be compared in predefined comparisons from the three different capsules that will be administered to the study participants. Relative bioavailability, defined as the ratio of fractional absorption relative to the reference dose (absorption measured from encapsulated FeSO4), will be also compared in predefined comparisons.
Time frame: Day 20 of the study
Fractional iron absorption from MIFAC
The primary outcome is the fractional iron absorption, which will be compared in predefined comparisons from the three different capsules that will be administered to the study participants. Relative bioavailability, defined as the ratio of fractional absorption relative to the reference dose (absorption measured from encapsulated FeSO4), will be also compared in predefined comparisons.
Time frame: Day 30 of the study
Fractional iron absorption from MIFAC
The primary outcome is the fractional iron absorption, which will be compared in predefined comparisons from the three different capsules that will be administered to the study participants. Relative bioavailability, defined as the ratio of fractional absorption relative to the reference dose (absorption measured from encapsulated FeSO4), will be also compared in predefined comparisons.
Time frame: Day 40 of the study
Fractional iron absorption from MIFAC
The primary outcome is the fractional iron absorption, which will be compared in predefined comparisons from the three different capsules that will be administered to the study participants. Relative bioavailability, defined as the ratio of fractional absorption relative to the reference dose (absorption measured from encapsulated FeSO4), will be also compared in predefined comparisons.
Time frame: Day 160 of the study
Fractional iron absorption from Control Ferrous Sulfate
The primary outcome is the fractional iron absorption, which will be compared in predefined comparisons from the three different capsules that will be administered to the study participants. Relative bioavailability, defined as the ratio of fractional absorption relative to the reference dose (absorption measured from encapsulated FeSO4), will be also compared in predefined comparisons.
Time frame: Day 10 of the study
Fractional iron absorption from Control Ferrous Sulfate
The primary outcome is the fractional iron absorption, which will be compared in predefined comparisons from the three different capsules that will be administered to the study participants. Relative bioavailability, defined as the ratio of fractional absorption relative to the reference dose (absorption measured from encapsulated FeSO4), will be also compared in predefined comparisons.
Time frame: Day 20 of the study
Fractional iron absorption from Control Ferrous Sulfate
The primary outcome is the fractional iron absorption, which will be compared in predefined comparisons from the three different capsules that will be administered to the study participants. Relative bioavailability, defined as the ratio of fractional absorption relative to the reference dose (absorption measured from encapsulated FeSO4), will be also compared in predefined comparisons.
Time frame: Day 30 of the study
Fractional iron absorption from Control Ferrous Sulfate
The primary outcome is the fractional iron absorption, which will be compared in predefined comparisons from the three different capsules that will be administered to the study participants. Relative bioavailability, defined as the ratio of fractional absorption relative to the reference dose (absorption measured from encapsulated FeSO4), will be also compared in predefined comparisons.
Time frame: Day 40 of the study
Fractional iron absorption from Control Ferrous Sulfate
The primary outcome is the fractional iron absorption, which will be compared in predefined comparisons from the three different capsules that will be administered to the study participants. Relative bioavailability, defined as the ratio of fractional absorption relative to the reference dose (absorption measured from encapsulated FeSO4), will be also compared in predefined comparisons.
Time frame: Day 160 of the study
Haemoglobin
Haemoglobin status of the participants will be measured to check for anaemia status
Time frame: Day 1 of the study
Haemoglobin
Haemoglobin status of the participants will be measured to check for anaemia status
Time frame: Day 10 of the study
Haemoglobin
Haemoglobin status of the participants will be measured to check for anaemia status
Time frame: Day 20 of the study
Haemoglobin
Haemoglobin status of the participants will be measured to check for anaemia status
Time frame: Day 30 of the study
Haemoglobin
Haemoglobin status of the participants will be measured to check for anaemia status
Time frame: Day 40 of the study
Haemoglobin
Haemoglobin status of the participants will be measured to check for anaemia status
Time frame: Day 160 of the study
Ferritin
Ferritin levels will be measured to assess the iron stores in the participants.
Time frame: Day 1 of the study
Ferritin
Ferritin levels will be measured to assess the iron stores in the participants.
Time frame: Day 10 of the study
Ferritin
Ferritin levels will be measured to assess the iron stores in the participants.
Time frame: Day 20 of the study
Ferritin
Ferritin levels will be measured to assess the iron stores in the participants.
Time frame: Day 30 of the study
Ferritin
Ferritin levels will be measured to assess the iron stores in the participants.
Time frame: Day 40 of the study
C-reactive Protein
Inflammation status of the participants will be measured since it has an effect on iron absorption
Time frame: Day 1 of the study
C-reactive Protein
Inflammation status of the participants will be measured since it has an effect on iron absorption
Time frame: Day 10 of the study
C-reactive Protein
Inflammation status of the participants will be measured since it has an effect on iron absorption
Time frame: Day 20 of the study
C-reactive Protein
Inflammation status of the participants will be measured since it has an effect on iron absorption
Time frame: Day 30 of the study
C-reactive Protein
Inflammation status of the participants will be measured since it has an effect on iron absorption
Time frame: Day 40 of the study