Determination of a Dose-dependent Effect of GOS on Iron Absorption, and Addition of Vitamin C

Iron-deficiency Clinical Trial

— Fe_GOS_2  

Official title:

The Effect of Prebiotics on Iron Absorption in Women With Low Iron Stores: Determination of a Dose-dependent Effect of Galacto-oligosaccharides on Iron Absorption, With and Without Addition of Ascorbic Acid

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT03762148
• Other study ID #: Fe_GOS_2
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: April 1, 2019
• Est. completion date: June 11, 2019

Study information

• Verified date: July 2019
• Source: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Iron deficiency is still the most common and widespread nutritional disorder in the world according to WHO.

In a recent iron absorption study in adult women with low iron stores in our lab (publication under review), we found that 15 g of GOS given with an iron supplement in the form of iron fumarate acutely increased iron absorption when given with water and a bread based meal. The dose of 15 g of GOS was tolerated well by the participants. As a follow up to the study mentioned above, we want to investigate: 1) if acute iron absorption is affected by lower doses of GOS; 2) whether this acute effect occurs for other commonly used iron compounds as well, such as iron sulphate and iron phosphate; and 3) if there are potential interactions on absorption with other enhancers of iron absorption, such as vitamin c.

Description:

Iron is an important mineral in our body and fulfills essential functions such as for example oxygen transport from the lungs to the tissues. Iron deficiency is still the most common and widespread nutritional disorder in the world according to WHO. Common iron supplements all have their limitations in terms of availability and compatibility. Prebiotic fibers, such as galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), selectively enhance growth of beneficial colonic bacteria. Prebiotics in general enhance the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and thereby decrease luminal pH. Through the reduction in pH, prebiotics can enhance absorption of minerals such as calcium and magnesium and they have been proposed to potentially improve iron absorption.

In a recent iron absorption study in adult women with low iron stores in our lab (publication under review), we found that 15 g of GOS given with an iron supplement in the form of iron fumarate acutely increased iron absorption when given with water and a bread based meal. The dose of 15 g of GOS was tolerated well by the participants. As a follow up to the study mentioned above, we want to investigate: 1) if acute iron absorption is affected by lower doses of GOS; 2) whether this acute effect occurs for other commonly used iron compounds as well, such as iron sulphate and iron phosphate; and 3) if there are potential interactions on absorption with other enhancers of iron absorption, such as vitamin c.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 46
• Est. completion date: June 11, 2019
• Est. primary completion date: June 11, 2019
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Female
• Age group: 18 Years to 45 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Female, 18 to 45 years old

• SF levels <30 µg/L

• Normal body Mass Index (18.5-24.9 kg/m2)

• Body weight <70 kg

• Signed informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Severe anaemia (Hb < 80 g/L)

• Elevated CRP >10.0 mg/L

• Any metabolic, gastrointestinal kidney or chronic disease such as diabetes, renal failure, hepatic dysfunction, hepatitis, hypertension, cancer or cardiovascular diseases (according to the participants own statement)

• Continuous/long-term use of medication during the whole studies (except for contraceptives)

• Consumption of mineral and vitamin supplements within 2 weeks prior to 1st supplement administration, including pre- and-or probiotics supplements (excluding foods and beverages with life cultures such as yoghurt, raw milk cheese and kombucha)

• Blood transfusion, blood donation or significant blood loss (accident, surgery) over the past 4 months

• Difficulties with blood sampling

• Use of antibiotics over the past month

• Known hypersensitivity to iron supplements in the given amount, GOS, or lactose

• Women who are pregnant or breast feeding

• Women who intend become pregnant during the course of the study

• Lack of safe contraception, defined as: Female participants of childbearing potential, not using and not willing to continue using a medically reliable method of contraception for the entire study duration, such as oral, inject-able, or implantable contraceptives, or intrauterine contraceptive devices, or who are not using any other method considered sufficiently reliable by the investigator in individual cases

• Known or suspected non-compliance, drug or alcohol (more than 2 drinks/day) abuse -

• Smokers (> 1 cigarette per week)

• Inability to follow the procedures of the study, e.g. due to language problems, self-- reported psychological disorders, etc. of the participant

• Enrollment of the investigator, his/her family members, employees and other dependent persons

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Anemia, Iron-Deficiency
• Iron-deficiency

Intervention

Dietary Supplement:
• ferrous fumarate
nutritional iron (14 mg) supplement in form of ferrous fumarate
• ferrous sulphate
nutritional iron (14 mg) supplement in form of ferrous sulphate
• ferric pyrophosphate
nutritional iron (14 mg) supplement in form of ferric pyrophosphate
• ferrous fumarate + 3.5 g GOS
nutritional iron (14 mg) supplement in form of ferrous fumarate with addition of prebiotics (3.5 g GOS)
• ferrous fumarate + 7 g GOS
nutritional iron (14 mg) supplement in form of ferrous fumarate with addition of prebiotics (7 g GOS)
• ferrous sulphate + 15 g GOS
nutritional iron (14 mg) supplement in form of ferrous sulphate with addition of prebiotics (15 g GOS)
• ferrous fumarate + Vitamin C
nutritional iron (14 mg) supplement in form of ferrous fumarate with addition of Vitamin C
• ferric pyrophosphate + 15 g GOS
nutritional iron (14 mg) supplement in form of ferric pyrophosphate with addition of prebiotics (15 g GOS)
• ferrous fumarate + 7 g GOS + Vitamin C
nutritional iron (14 mg) supplement in form of ferrous fumarate with addition of prebiotics (7 g GOS) and Vitamin C

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Switzerland	Human Nutrition Laboratory, ETH Zurich	Zurich

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Isabelle Herter-Aeberli	Antistress AG, Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsschutz - Burgerstein Vitamine

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Switzerland, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	fractional iron absorption	Fractional iron absorption will be calculated based on the shift of the iron isotope ratios in the collected blood samples after the administration of several isotopically labelled iron supplements.Fractional iron absorption will be measured as erythrocyte incorporation of the naturally occurring iron forms with different masses used to label the iron supplements.	2 months