Effect of dietary iron level on efficiency of converting food iron into hemoglobin by the anemic rat.

The effects of varying the dietary levels of ferrous sulfate or ferric orthophosphate on the efficiency of the conversion of dietary iron into hemoglobin iron, was evaluated with the anemic rat. Weanling male rats were made anemic by feeding a semipurified diet containing 8.4 mg iron/kg, and by bleeding. They were divided into nine groups so that hemoglobin levels and body weights were similar. The rats were fed the basal diet or basal diet plus 12, 24, 36 and 48 mg iron/kg diet provided as ferrous sulfate or ferric orthophosphate. The rats were fed 10 g daily of the respective diets for 10 consecutive days. The efficiency of the conversion of dietary iron into hemoglobin iron was not significantly affected by dietary level of either iron salt. It was determined that ferric orthophosphate was 51% as efficient as ferrous sulfate for hemoglobin regeneration in the anemic rat.