EFFECT OF LACTOBACILLUS-ACIDOPHILUS ON IRON BIOAVAILABILITY IN RATS

The effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus on iron bioavailability in rat s was examined by the hemoglobin regeneration method. For hemoglobin d epletion, female Wistar rats were fed an iron-deficient diet at 3 week s of age for 13 days. Rats were then assigned to one of four groups, s uch that average blood hemoglobin value and average body weight were s imilar among the groups. For hemoglobin regeneration, they were fed on e of two ferrous sulfate-supplemented diets that contained the followi ng iron levels (mg/kg): 13.7 for two groups; 21.7 for the other two gr oups. In. the two groups fed the same diet, one group additionally rec eived oral administration of 2 mi of skim milk fortified with 0.3% yea st extract once or twice a day for 7 days, and other rats were adminis tered with skim milk fermented by L. acidophilus SET 2062 in the same manner. Hemoglobin regeneration efficiency (HRE) was significantly hig her in the fermented product-given rats than in the skim milk-supplied rats. There was no significant interaction in HRE between the dietary iron group and the oral administration group. These results indicate that L. acidophilus SET 2062 is effective for increasing of iron bioav ailability in rats.