Effects of iron supplementation on dominant bacterial groups in the gut, faecal SCFA and gut inflammation: a randomised, placebo-controlled intervention trial in South African children
Open accessAbstract
Fe supplementation is a common strategy to correct Fe-deficiency anaemia in children; however, it may modify the gut microbiota and increase the risk for enteropathogenic infection. In the present study, we studied the impact of Fe supplementation on the abundance of dominant bacterial groups in the gut, faecal SCFA concentration and gut inflammation in children living in rural South Africa. In a randomised, placebo-controlled intervention trial of 38 weeks, 6- to 11-year-old children with Fe deficiency received orally either tablets containing 50 mg Fe as FeSO 4 (n 22) for 4 d/week or identical placebo (n 27). In addition, Fe-sufficient children (n 24) were included as a non-treated reference group. Faecal samples were analysed at baseline and at 2, 12 and 38 weeks to determine the effects of Fe supplementation on ten bacterial groups in the gut (quantitative PCR), faecal SCFA concentration (HPLC) and gut inflammation (faecal calprotectin concentration). At baseline, concentrations of bacterial groups in the gut, faecal SCFA and faecal calprotectin did not differ between Fe-deficient and Fe-sufficient children. Fe supplementation significantly improved Fe status in Fe-deficient children and did not significantly increase faecal calprotectin concentration. Moreover, no significant effect of Fe treatment or time × treatment interaction on the concentrations of bacterial groups in the gut or faecal SCFA was observed compared with the placebo treatment. Also, there were no significant differences observed in the concentrations of any of the bacterial target groups or faecal SCFA at 2, 12 or 38 weeks between the three groups of children when correcting for baseline values. The present study suggests that in African children with a low enteropathogen burden, Fe status and dietary Fe supplementation did not significantly affect the dominant bacterial groups in the gut, faecal SCFA concentration or gut inflammation.
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Some but not all studies found altered composition of intestinal flora and increased inflammation in children treated to prevent or reverse iron deficiency.
“Motivated to understand the connection between iron supplementation and diarrhoeal illness in African children, some but not all studies found an altered composition of the intestinal flora and increased inflammation in children who were treated to prevent or reverse iron deficiency61–63.”
From Iron homeostasis in host defence and inflammation (2015) · cites this paper as [63]
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- Authors
- Dostal, A., Baumgartner, J., Riesen, N., Chassard, C., Smuts, C. M., Zimmermann, M. B., & Lacroix, C.
- Affiliations
- ETH Zurich (CH)
- North-West University (ZA)
- Corresponding author
- Lacroix, Christophe
- ORCID
- Venue
- British Journal of Nutrition
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2014-06-11
- Volume
- 112
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 547-556
- ISSN
- 0007-1145 (ISSN-L)
- 1475-2662
- OpenAlex
- W2111621811
- Cited by
- 121
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 2.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- British Journal Of Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- reroDoc Digital Library (submittedVersion)
- Repository for Publications and Research Data (ETH Zurich) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Boloka Institutional Repository (North-west University) (submittedVersion)
- ETH Zürich Research Collection
- Funders
- National Science Foundation
- Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung
- North-West University
- Medical Research Council
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (U01HD064921)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Hematology › Iron Metabolism and Disorders
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Keywords
- iron supplementation, iron deficiency anemia, gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, intestinal inflammation, fecal calprotectin, children, iron status, rural South Africa
- MeSH terms
- Child, Fatty Acids, Volatile, Feces, Female, Ferrous Compounds, Gastroenteritis, Gastrointestinal Agents, Gram-Negative Bacteria, Gram-Positive Bacteria, Hematinics, Humans, Intestinal Mucosa, Male, Rural Health, South Africa, Incidence, Anemia, Iron-Deficiency, Iron, Dietary, Dietary Supplements, Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex, Lower Gastrointestinal Tract, Microbial Viability
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