Food iron absorption. Role of vitamin A.

Iron and vitamin A are essential nutrients for human growing, development a nd maintenance. Deficiency of these elements is a public health problem esp ecially in developing countries. Recently it has been reported that vitamin PI has a favorable effect on iron absorption, probably due to the formatio n of an iron-vitamin A chelate, that keeps iron soluble and available for a bsorption. This vitamin establishes a competence with other iron-binding mo lecules (phytates and polyphenols) that are not absorbed and render insolub le iron. Food enrichment programs with both iron and vitamin A, will provid e these two;essential nutrients and also an enhanced iron absorption even f rom diets with a high content of inhibitors.