Iron supplementation prevents the development of iron deficiency in rats with omeprazole-induced hypochlorhydria

Gastric acidity is an important luminal factor for non-heme iron absorption . The effect of iron supplementation (1 mg Fe/kg body weight) was studied i n rats submitted to hypochlorhydria by daily oral administration of omepraz ole (40 mu mol/kg). Forty (40) rats received omeprazole (experimental group ) and 20 rats received vehicle (control group) for 4 weeks. At the end of t his period, 10 animals from each group were sacrificed. The remaining rats in the control group continued receiving vehicle alone for 2 additional wee ks. The experimental group was divided into three subgroups of 10 rats each . One subgroup received omeprazole alone, and the other subgroups received omeprazole plus iron supplementation with iron sulphate (Fe+2) or iron-pept ide complex (Fe+3) for 2 additional weeks. After 4 weeks of treatment, the group that received omeprazole presented an increase of serum transferrin a nd a decrease of hepatic iron levels. However, only after 6 weeks did a dec rease of haemoglobin occur in this subgroup. Supplementation started during the 5th week prevented the decrease of haemoglobin, improved the transferr in levels but did not cause hepatic iron to return to control levels. These results suggest that iron deficiency due to hypochlorhydria could be preve nted by iron supplementation and that the two iron sources were equally eff icient in this respect. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.