Ferritin Threshold, Iron Absorption, Iron-deficiency, Stable Iron Isotopes
Conditions
Brief summary
The serum or plasma ferritin concentration (referred to hereafter as ferritin) is the most widely used indicator to detect iron deficiency and a low ferritin indicates depleted iron stores. However, the threshold ferritin that defines iron deficiency remains unclear and diagnostic ferritin cutoffs from expert groups vary widely. Our study aim is to define the ferritin in Kenyan young women at which the body senses iron depletion and begins to upregulate iron absorption from the diet; this approach could provide a functionally defined threshold of iron deficiency in Sub-Saharan African women.
Interventions
OTHERIsotopically labelled iron sulfate 15mg
test drink: water containing isotopic iron solution with vitamin C
Sponsors
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 28 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Age 18-28 y, not pregnant or lactating * Body weight \<75 kg * body mass index (BMI) between 17 and 25 kg/m2 * No acute illness/infection (self-reported) * No metabolic or gastrointestinal disorders (self-reported) * No use of medications affecting iron absorption or metabolism during the study * No intake of mineral/vitamin supplements 2 weeks prior to the first study visit and during the study
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Fractional iron absorption | Day 14 | shift in iron isotopic ratios measured in red blood cells |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Hemoglobin | Day 0 | — |
| Plasma Hepcidin | Day 0 | — |
| Isotopic composition of red blood cells | 4 months after isotope administration | shift in iron isotopic ratios measured in red blood cells |
| alpha-1-glycoprotein | Day 0 | — |
| soluble transferrin receptor | Day 0 | — |
| C-reactive protein | Day 0 | — |
| Plasma Ferritin | Day 0 | — |
Countries
Kenya
Outcome results
None listed