The Effect of the Prebiotic Galacto-oligosaccharide on Iron Absorption With Micronutrient Powders in Kenyan Infants

Iron-deficiency Clinical Trial

Official title: The Effect of the Prebiotic Galacto-oligosaccharide on Iron Absorption From a New Micronutrient Powder for Fortification of Infant Foods in Sub-Saharan Africa

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether single doses of the prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS) added to iron-fortified meals with micronutrient powders increase iron absorption compared to a 3 weeks pre-feeding of GOS.

Clinical Trial Description

Infants and young children in sub-Saharan Africa have high rates of iron deficiency anemia (IDA), which adversely affects their growth and cognitive development. In-home iron fortification of complementary foods using micronutrient powders (MNPs) reduces risk for IDA by ensuring that the iron needs of infants and young children are met with-out changing their traditional diet. However, MNPs containing a high dose of 12.5 mg of iron adversely affect the African infant gut microbiome by decreasing beneficial 'barrier' commensals, like Bifidobacteria, while increasing enterobacteria, specific enteropathogens, e.g. pathogenic Escherichia coli. Furthermore, the risk for gut inflammation, diarrhoea and respiratory tract infections (RTIs) might increase. Thus, there is an urgent need to find safer formulations of iron fortification for African infants. In a recent trial in Kenya, the investigators demonstrated that iron dose in MNP can be reduced to 5 mg and still be efficacious in reducing anemia and all measures of iron deficiency. Also, addition of prebiotic to it reduces adverse effects on the gut of the infant, resulting in greater abundances of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli, lower abundances of virulence and toxin genes of pathogens and less enterocyte damage and a lower incidence of treated RTIs. Further, the investigators also showed that prior consumption of the galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS) for 3 weeks increases iron absorption from the MNP containing sodium iron ethylenediaminetetraacetate (NaFeEDTA) and ferrous fumarate (FeFum), possibly reflecting greater colonic iron absorption.

To complement the results of the enhancing effect on iron absorption of GOS and to confirm the suggested mechanism of being colonic iron absorption, the investigators would like to test whether GOS increases iron absorption if it is given without 3 weeks of pre-feeding via a potential change of the meal matrix rather than changes in the gut microbiome as seen with the 3 weeks of prior consumption of GOS.

The above mentioned studies showing an increase in RTIs with consumption of the high iron dose MNP and recently conducted study that showed a decrease in RTIs if the prebiotic GOS is added to the MNP need further investigation to understand the underlying mechanism on how iron and prebiotic influence the occurrence of RTIs. To take a first step, the investigators would therefore like to investigate the nasopharyngeal microbiome of infants consuming iron syrup, as changes in pathogen colonization of the respiratory epithelium is one possible mechanism on how iron and prebiotics might influence the incidence of RTIs.

The investigators will compare the fractional iron absorption (FIA) of the iron with and without co-consumption of the GOS prebiotic in Kenyan infants consuming a maize porridge. This study will follow on recently concluded studies in the Kwale County. 22 infants will be enrolled. On 2 consecutive study days, these infants will consume a test meal with 2 iron compounds (NaFeEDTA and FeFum) and a reference test meal with ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) all with GOS. Fourteen days later, they will consume all the test meals without GOS on 2 consecutive study days. The investigators will then assess the relative effects of co-consumption of GOS on absorption of the three compounds. The hypothesis is that co-consumption of GOS with the iron in the test meals will not increase absorption of iron from the three compounds, compared to no co-consumption of GOS.

In the same infants collect a fecal sample and a nasopharyngeal sample will be collected to determine the microbiome changes before and after consumption of iron containing syrups. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Anemia, Iron-Deficiency
• Iron-deficiency

• NCT number: NCT03357510
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: April 16, 2018
• Completion date: June 24, 2018