THE EFFECT OF BEEF AND HEME IRON ON ZINC ABSORPTION IN CHILDREN

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Iron and zinc are vital for health in children. Many children are iron or zinc deficient and this can have long-term consequences. Iron and zinc deficiencies usually occur because of low intakes, combined with poor bioavailability/ absorption. However many factors can modify the absorption of iron and zinc. Indeed, they may interfere with each others absorption so that increasing iron in the diet may reduce zinc absorption and increasing zinc intake may interfere with iron absorption. This effect is known to occur for non-heme iron (as in supplements) but it is less clear whether heme iron (found in meat) has a similar effect. It is not known if heme iron interferes with zinc absorption in children, or whether zinc interferes with heme iron absorption. The source of dietary proteins may also affect iron and zinc absorption. For example, there is some evidence that beef proteins increase iron absorption from the rest of the diet whilst soy proteins may decrease iron absorption. It is unclear whether this effect also occurs on zinc absorption, or whether the effect is seen in children, who are at high risk of both iron and zinc deficiency. The objective of this study is to understand the effect of heme-iron and zinc on each others absorption, and the effect of beef and soy protein on iron and zinc absorption, in children.