Consumption of fibre-rich wheat bread results in iron deficiency

This study was published in the European Journal of Nutrition 2005 Sep;44(6):334-40

 

Study title and authors:

A decrease in iron status in young healthy women after long-term daily consumption of the recommended intake of fibre-rich wheat bread.

Bach Kristensen M, Tetens I, Alstrup Jørgensen AB, Dal Thomsen A, Milman N, Hels O, Sandström B, Hansen M.

The Dept. of Human Nutrition, The Royal Veterinary & Agricultural University, Rolighedsvej 30, 1958, Frederiksberg C, Denmark. mbk@kvl.dk

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15349738

The objective of the study was to measure the effects of long-term consumption of the recommended intake of fibre-rich wheat bread on the iron status of young healthy women with adequate iron stores. The study lasted for four months and included 41 healthy women, average age 24.8 years, who were provided daily with 300 grams of fibre-rich wheat bread, prepared (i) with or (ii) without phytase (an enzyme that reduces the phytic acid content in food) as a supplement to their habitual diet.

After four months, the study found:
(a) Levels of ferritin were significantly reduced in all women by an average of 27%. (Low ferritin levels lead to anaemia).
(b) Levels of haemoglobin were significantly reduced in all women by an average of 1.5%. (When a person has a low haemoglobin level, they may feel weak,tired, dizzy or cold).

The study indicates that consumption of the recommended daily intake of fibre-rich wheat bread (with high or low phytic acid concentrations) results in an impairment of iron status in women with initially sufficient iron stores.