Prebiotics increase iron absorption and reduce the adverse effects of iron on the gut microbiome and inflammation: a randomized controlled trial using iron stable isotopes in Kenyan infants.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Iron fortificants tend to be poorly absorbed and may adversely affect the gut, especially in African children.

Objective

We assessed the effects of prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides/fructo-oligosaccharides (GOS/FOS) on iron absorption and gut health when added to iron-fortified infant cereal.

Methods

We randomly assigned Kenyan infants (n = 191) to receive daily for 3 wk a cereal containing iron and 7.5 g GOS/FOS (7.5 g+iron group), 3 g (3-g+iron group) GOS/FOS, or no prebiotics (iron group). A subset of infants in the 2 prebiotic+iron groups (n = 66) consumed 4 stable iron isotope-labeled test meals without and with prebiotics, both before and after the intervention. Primary outcome was fractional iron absorption (FIA) from the cereal with or without preb

SUBMITTER: Mikulic N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10884607 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature