Lack of Fe(II) transporters in basal Cyanobacteria complicates iron uptake in ferruginous Archean oceans.

Cyanobacteria oxygenated Earth's atmosphere during the Great Oxygenation Event (GOE) through oxygenic photosynthesis. Their high iron requirement was presumed met by high levels of Fe(II) in the anoxic Archean ocean. Here we show that most basal Cyanobacteria cannot synthesize the primary Fe(II) transporter, FeoB. Relaxed molecular clock analyses estimate the arrival of FeoB, as well as the Fe(III) transporters, cFTR1 and FutB, in the Cyanobacteria after the GOE. Furthermore Pseudanabaena sp. PCC7367, a basal marine, benthic strain grown under simulated Archean conditions, constitutively expressed cftr1, even after the addition of Fe(II). By utilizing gene expression studies under a simulated Archean atmosphere, as well as comparative genomics, phylogenetics and molecular clock analyses, this study identified a need to reappraise iron uptake in ancestral Cyanobacteria, as genetic profiling suggests that scavenging of siderophore bound Fe(III), rather than Fe(II), appears to have been the means of iron acquisition prior to the GOE.

The Role of Iron for Supporting Children’s Growth and Development

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Iron Deficiency (ID) affects around 2 billion people worldwide. Early childhood ID has been associated with permanent cognitive deficits associated with CNS structural, metabolic impairment, growth retardation, impaired immune response, psychological abnormalities, and behavioral delays. This literature review will focus on the important role of iron in child growth and development. Iron is necessary for various cellular processes in the growing brain especially when it comes to memory and learning. Children with early ID show cognitive deficits that persist; however, prompt iron treatment soothes the problem. A chronic ID group reported substantially lower scores of vocabularies, ambient sound perception, and motor measurements in a recent study relative to infants with normal nutritional iron status at 6 months and 14-18 months. Children's iron requirement differentiates based on individual age. The daily iron requirement for one- to three-year-old children is 7 mg. Some risk factors of infants and toddlers in developing ID are insufficient food intake, poor bioavailability, reduced absorption, increase demand, increase losses, cow’s milk enteropathy hookworm infection, and maternal gestation. Iron plays an important role in promoting children's growth and development. Physical health and nutrition are important in the first two years of life. Children who are unable to achieve iron adequacy will possibly show permanent cognitive deficit and impaired motor growth. Thus, iron supplementation may only be successful in early prescription after diagnosing iron deficiency.

Relationship between Nutrition Intake and Hemoglobin Levels in Toddlers Aged 12-24 Months

Background: The toddler period is a crucial life period and needs special attention. Toddlers need to have a proper amount and good quality of nutrition from daily food to prevent anemia. This study aimed to explore the relationship between nutritional intake and Hb level in toddlers aged 12-24 months in Sumedang District, West Java, IndonesiaMethods: This was a cross-sectional quantitative conducted in August-November 2019 on 96 toddlers aged 12-24 months. Toddlers were recruited using proportioned simple random sampling method. The mothers of these toddlers were asked to complete a food record for three consecutive days for their toddlers. Data were then processed using the Nutrisurvey application while the hemoglobin (Hb) level was measured using a Digital Hb tool. All data were analyzed using a Pearson Correlation Test.Results: Most mothers of these toddlers graduated from senior high school (45.8%) and were housewives (78.1%). The iron requirement was met 61 toddlers (63.5%). Most toddlers were not anemic (56.3%) with a mean Hb of 10.99 gr/dl. A relationship was established between iron intake and Hb level (p=0.000).Conclusion: Low iron intake is associated with Hb level in toddlers aged 12-24 months in Sumedang District, West Java Province, Indonesia. A nutrition program needs to be well set-up for toddlers in this area.

Iron Absorption from Iron-Biofortified Sweetpotato Is Higher Than Regular Sweetpotato in Malawian Women while Iron Absorption from Regular and Iron-Biofortified Potatoes Is High in Peruvian Women

ABSTRACT Background Sweetpotato and potato are fast-maturing staple crops and widely consumed in low- and middle-income countries. Conventional breeding to biofortify these crops with iron could improve iron intakes. To our knowledge, iron absorption from sweetpotato and potato has not been assessed. Objective The aim was to assess iron absorption from regular and iron-biofortified orange-fleshed sweetpotato in Malawi and yellow-fleshed potato and iron-biofortified purple-fleshed potato in Peru. Methods We conducted 2 randomized, multiple-meal studies in generally healthy, iron-depleted women of reproductive age. Malawian women (n = 24) received 400 g regular or biofortified sweetpotato test meals and Peruvian women (n = 35) received 500 g regular or biofortified potato test meals. Women consumed the meals at breakfast for 2 wk and were then crossed over to the other variety. We labeled the test meals with 57Fe or 58Fe and measured cumulative erythrocyte incorporation of the labels 14 d after completion of each test-meal sequence to calculate iron absorption. Iron absorption was compared by paired-sample t tests. Results The regular and biofortified orange-fleshed sweetpotato test meals contained 0.55 and 0.97 mg Fe/100 g. Geometric mean (95% CI) fractional iron absorption (FIA) was 5.82% (3.79%, 8.95%) and 6.02% (4.51%, 8.05%), respectively (P = 0.81), resulting in 1.9-fold higher total iron absorption (TIA) from biofortified sweetpotato (P < 0.001). The regular and biofortified potato test meals contained 0.33 and 0.69 mg Fe/100 g. FIA was 28.4% (23.5%, 34.2%) from the regular yellow-fleshed and 13.3% (10.6%, 16.6%) from the biofortified purple-fleshed potato meals, respectively (P < 0.001), resulting in no significant difference in TIA (P = 0.88). Conclusions FIA from regular yellow-fleshed potato was remarkably high, at 28%. Iron absorbed from both potato test meals covered 33% of the daily absorbed iron requirement for women of reproductive age, while the biofortified orange-fleshed sweetpotato test meal covered 18% of this requirement. High polyphenol concentrations were likely the major inhibitors of iron absorption. These trials were registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03840031 (Malawi) and NCT04216030 (Peru).

Revisiting Dietary Iron Requirement and Deficiency in Indian Women: Implications for Food Iron Fortification and Supplementation

ABSTRACT Anemia in Indian women continues to be highly prevalent, and is thought to be due to low dietary iron content. The high risk of dietary iron deficiency is based on the Indian Council of Medical Research recommendation of 21 mg/d, but there is a need for a secure and transparent determination of the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) of iron in this population. In nonpregnant, nonlactating women of reproductive age (WRA), the EAR of iron was determined to be 15 mg/d. Applying this value to daily iron intakes among WRA in nationally representative Indian state–based data showed that the median risk of dietary iron deficiency was lower than previously thought (65%; IQR: 48–78%), with considerable heterogeneity between states (range: 25–93%). However, in a validation, this risk matched the risk of iron deficiency as defined by blood biomarkers in a recently completed survey. When the risk of dietary iron deficiency was modelled for an increase in iron intake through food fortification of a single dietary staple, that provided 10 mg/d, the median risk reduced substantially (from 65% to 20%), and it virtually disappeared when supplementary iron intakes through the national iron supplementation program were considered. The risk of exceeding the tolerable upper level (TUL) of intake of iron remains low in the population when receiving fortification of 10 mg/d, but is much higher if they consume greater amounts of iron through supplements (range: 0–54%). This newly and transparently defined Indian EAR of iron should be used to evaluate, with precision, the benefits and risks of iron fortification and supplementation policies.

IRON CONTENT, HARDNESS AND ACCEPTABILITY OF BISCUITS FROM COMPOSITE CASSAVA AND WHEAT FLOURS SUBSTITUTED WITH GREEN SPINACH FLOUR

The main cause of the high prevalence of iron deficiency anemia of children in Indonesia is the low intake of iron. Green spinach flour as a source of iron can be used as a substitution material in the manufacture of biscuits. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of green spinach flour substitution on iron, hardness and acceptance levels of biscuits from composite cassava flour and wheat flour. The research was conducted by substituting the green spinach flour with various levels of 0%, 2.5%, 5% and 7.5%. The biscuits were then tested for the iron using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS), hardness using texture analyzer and acceptability. The results indicated that there was a substitution effect of green spinach flour to iron and acceptability of biscuits, whereas, there was no effect on the hardness. The higher the substitution of green spinach flour, the higher the iron level of the biscuit. The highest iron level was displayed by biscuit with the substitution of 7.5%, which was 89.82mg/kg. The hardness of biscuits was not affected by the substitution of green spinach flour. The range of biscuit hardness levels was between 2592.16g - 3985.83g. Biscuit with 5% substitution of green spinach flour gave the highest acceptability. The iron requirement of Indonesian school-age children (7-9 years) can be fulfilled by consuming biscuits (5% green spinach flour) as much as 14 grams or equivalent to 3 pieces of biscuit for a day.

Maternal haemoglobin and neo-natal haemoglobin status: a hospital based study in Ranchi, Jharkhand, India

Background: Haemoglobin of foetus increases with advancing gestational age. During pregnancy, fetal demand for iron increases maternal daily iron requirement from first trimester to third trimester. Late cord clamping may result in delivery of extra blood as well as iron to newborn. The cause of worry here is that maternal anaemia is a significant cause of direct and indirect morbidity and mortality both for pregnant mother and her foetus/neonate.Methods: To determine maternal and neonatal haemoglobin status we conducted a cross sectional study comprising 217 pregnant women and their children in Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.Results: Mean neonatal haemoglobin in controls was 18.13±1.14 g/dl whereas that in cases was 17.21±1.38 g/dl and the difference was statistically significant. Among the 97 cases 23 mothers had babies with neonatal haemoglobin below 14g/dl. In controls only 17 out of 120 mothers had babies with neonatal haemoglobin below 14g/dl (p value<0.01).Conclusions: Present study demonstrated that the neonatal haemoglobin is lower in anemic mothers and that the decrease appears to be proportional to the degree of anemia.

Consumming iron tablet is not enought; A perspective from Midwife

Iron is a mineral that is needed by the body that serves to synthesis hemoglobin. Iron requirement during pregnancy as a result of increased maternal blood supply. Proper iron consumption behavior will affect the levels of hemoglobin during pregnancy. From the literature, the study found six behavior of iron consumption in pregnant women. First Add the amount of food intake. Second Diversity of food intake. Third increase in iron absorption. The four serve the food appropriately. The five regularities of Fe tablet consumption. Last Drink the Fe tablet in the right way. Pregnant women should receive proper counseling on how to properly add blood tablets, as the absorption of tablets plus blood is affected by reinforcing and inhibiting factors. Tablets added blood are easily absorbed if the acidic conditions are in the duodenum and jejunum.

Consumming iron tablet is not enought; A perspective from Midwife

Iron is a mineral that is needed by the body that serves to synthesis hemoglobin. Iron requirement during pregnancy as a result of increased maternal blood supply. Proper iron consumption behavior will affect the levels of hemoglobin during pregnancy. From the literature, the study found six behavior of iron consumption in pregnant women. First Add the amount of food intake. Second Diversity of food intake. Third increase in iron absorption. The four serve the food appropriately. The five regularities of Fe tablet consumption. Last Drink the Fe tablet in the right way. Pregnant women should receive proper counseling on how to properly add blood tablets, as the absorption of tablets plus blood is affected by reinforcing and inhibiting factors. Tablets added blood are easily absorbed if the acidic conditions are in the duodenum and jejunum.