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Iron absorption question

Discussion in 'Hematology' started by AdrianusM, Jul 25, 2019.

  1. AdrianusM

    AdrianusM Young Member

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    Hey everybody,

    So lets take a person who has an iron deficiency without anemia. Iron is 7 on a scale of 12-30 but his hemoglobin is 164 g/l and hematocrit is 0.503. Both TIBC and UIBC are at the top of the reference range.

    That said person is supplementing with liquid iron, 30mg per day said to have absorbability of 15-35%. Also, said person eats high quality heme iron sources amounting to roughly 20mg of iron per day which are also said to have absorbability of 15-35%.

    So a total intake of iron is 50mg per day.

    That person loses yet another 75ml of blood, which contains roughly 35mg of iron.

    Lets take the low end of absorption of 15%. It amounts to 7.5mg per day. And the absorption should be increased in people with iron deficiency.

    Said person should make up for the loss of iron in 75ml of blood in roughly 5 days in this situation.
    Is this correct?
     

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    Fatuush likes this.

  2. Dr.Scorpiowoman

    Dr.Scorpiowoman Golden Member

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    I think he should continue on the supplements regardless of the absorption rate or how much blood is lost. 75 ml of blood is relatively a low amount of blood, so he shouldn't worry about it.
     

    Faculty Of Medicine likes this.

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