Effect of dietary carbohydrates on intestinal transport and accumulation of 59Fe++ in iron deficients rats.

Laboratory rats were fed several types of carbohydrates incorporated into iron-deficient diets. The lowest active transport of 59Fe++ across the intestinal wall as well as the lowest intestinal accumulation of radioiron occurred in rats fed either dextrin or fructose, while rats fed cornstarch, sucrose, or sucrose plus lactose exhibited the highest active transport and the highest accumulation of radioiron in the intestinal tissue. Animals which received dextrin as the dietary carbohydrate also maintained the highest hematocrit and hemoglobin levels during the iron depletion period.