Brief Report: Utilization of Iron by Scorbutic Guinea Pigs

Abstract

Administration of iron to guinea pigs during the progress of development of scurvy did not check the onset of anemia but enhanced it. Iron treatment also could not correct hypoferemia observed in the scorbutic condition although absorption of iron from the intestinal tract was not defective. The absorbed iron was deposited in tissues as hemosiderin. Ascorbic acid seems to be necessary for utilization of iron in the synthesis of hemoglobin.

Biological availability in animals of iron from common dietary sources

“…Influence of Ascorbic Acid and Vitamin E. Many workers have reported that ascorbic acid improves the absorption and utilization of iron (Apte and Venkatachalam, 1965;Banerjee and Chakrabarty, 1965;Brise and Hallberg, 1962;Greenberg et al, 1957;McCurdy and Dern, 1968). Brise and Hallberg (1962) showed that the effect was in the digestive tract, and that intravenous ascorbic acid had no effect.…”

Is Vitamin C Intake too Low in Dialysis Patients?

“…Defective utilization of iron in scurvy is well known (9,10) and lack of response to iron administration during vitamin C deficiency has been reported in studies with experimental animals (10). Ascorbic acid has a key role in the absorption of dietary non‐heme iron (11), as the reduction of insoluble ferric iron to the more soluble ferrous iron is a critical step for mucosal cell iron uptake (12,13).…”

“…The tissue of scorbutic guinea pigs has increased deposits of hemosiderin, a storage form of iron with limited bioavailability, while the more readily utilized ferritin fraction of liver iron is decreased (10). Vitamin C can reverse this process; South African Bantu, who may suffer from dietary iron overload from use of iron‐containing cooking utensils, are able to mobilize storage iron following dietary vitamin C supplementation (16,17).…”