Many nutrients are important for the health of both mother and child, but adequate iron intake is a critical strategy for pregnant women or those considering pregnancy.
This deficiency can affect more than half of women during pregnancy.
Adequate levels of iron are important for essential functions, such as oxygen transportation, energy production, and hormone synthesis. A deficiency can have significant consequences on health, especially during pregnancy, the perinatal period and early childhood,2,3 when the deficiency has been linked to cognitive problems in children compared to those with normal iron levels.4
While only trace amounts of iron are needed, getting enough is easier said than done. The problem is that insoluble inorganic iron salts are highly stable, leave no taste and have no oxidative properties. However, they have a very low bioavailability. Soluble iron salts, on the other hand, are absorbed better but have negative characteristics with regard to taste, oxidation and gastrointestinal discomfort.
This problem can be mitigated by supplying iron in a micro-encapsulated form, such as AB-Fortis®, noted Christiaan Veltink, product manager of IFF Health. “In this unique technology, iron is protected by a natural, organic layer which avoids the release of free iron and gives it very stable properties,” he commented. “As a result, this material has no metallic taste and does not lead to oxidation or negative gastrointestinal side effects.”
Bioavailability is another key factor. AB-Fortis® microcapsules are produced by gelation of alginate with calcium, entrapping the iron salt inside. Calcium displays a stronger interaction with alginate, stabilizing the microcapsules and avoiding the release of iron. When this calcium-alginate interaction is destabilized in the intestines (basic pH, bile salts), the iron is released from the microcapsule and can be efficiently absorbed.
References: 1. Healthcare in Europe.com. “Iron deficiency and anaemia.” May 18, 2014. 2. Carlson ES, et al. “Perinatel iron deficiency results in altered developmental expression of genes mediating energy metabolism and neuronal morphogenesis in hippocampus.” Hippocampus. 2007;17(8): 679-691. 3. Otero et al. “Working memory impairment and recovery in iron deficient children.” Clin Neurophysiol. 2008 Aug:119(8):1739-1746. 4. Pollitt E. “Iron Deficiency and Cognitive Function.” Annu Rev Nutr. 1993;13:521-537.
