Serum ferritin concentrations in Africans with low dietary iron

Abstract

In the setting of high dietary, several studies have provided evidence for a strong effect of both high dietary iron and an unidentified genetic locus on iron stores in Africans. To investigate whether these effects are discernible in the setting of low dietary iron, serum ferritin concentrations were measured in 194 Zimbabwean men >30 years of age and 299 postmenopausal women who consumed a non-iron-fortified diet and who did not drink iron-rich traditional beer or other alcoholic beverages. Comparisons were made with non-alcohol drinking African-Americans studied in the third National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES III) who consume an iron-fortified diet. As stratified by age and sex, serum ferritin concentrations were significantly lower in the 493 Zimbabweans studied than in 1,380 comparable African-Americans (P < 0.0005). Nevertheless, nine Zimbabwean subjects (1.8% of all cases) had modestly elevated serum ferritin concentrations not associated with evidence of inflammation or hepatic dysfunction. These data suggest that mild serum ferritin concentration elevations may occur among Zimbabweans not exposed to high dietary iron and that iron fortification of the diet may have substantial effects on serum ferritin concentration.

Racial Differences in Iron Measures and Outcomes Observed during an Iron Reduction Trial in Peripheral Arterial Disease

“…African Americans, unlike Black individuals residing in Zimbabwe, exhibit unfavorable ferritin levels. 42 Racial differences in iron metabolism and excess dietary iron intake may account for observed differences in ferritin levels described previously in African Americans 4 and seen in this study. It appears feasible, however, to achieve low risk levels of body iron stores represented by ferritin levels in Black as well as White individuals.…”

“…4,5 Elevated body iron levels, previously described in Black compared with White individuals, [4][5][6]8,33,40 might account for increased oxidative stress 1-3,5,8 and higher disease risk due to inflammation. 26,41 Moyo et al 42 age 30 and 299 postmenopausal Zimbabwean women over age 50. These indigenous Africans reportedly ingested a non-iron fortified diet and did not consume alcoholic beverages.…”

“…We suggest a need for enhanced attention to elevated iron stores, especially as related to nutritional (dietary) factors. [42][43][44][45]67 Such attention potentially offers health outcome benefits to individuals of African ancestry through personalized medical approaches based on racial differences. The present hypothesisgenerating observations suggest a crucial need for studies of interventional measures taking into consideration racial differences in red cell measures, lipid responses and mediators of iron metabolism.…”

Gamma-Glutamyltransferase: A Predictive Biomarker of Cellular Antioxidant Inadequacy and Disease Risk

“…Similar differences existed when the American NHW male and female populations surveyed during NHANES III were compared to an age- and gender-matched Black African population from Zimbabwe. In 2009, Moyo et al [ 82 ] selected 823 African American men and 557 African American women from NHANES III for the purpose of comparing SF measures with those of 194 Zimbabwean men and 256 Zimbabwean women. The African Americans selected were self-described as non-alcohol-drinking participants of the NHANES III study.…”

Iron, Human Growth, and the Global Epidemic of Obesity

“…, consumption of large quantities of iron rich meat from marine mammals) have contributed to metal accumulation in Greenlandic hunter population [23]. A similar relationship was noticed between native Africans consuming a low iron diet and African Americans in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III who consumed an iron-fortified diet [24]. Continuing to evaluate for an effect of iron fortification and supplementation on metal concentrations in adults, non-pregnant and non-lactating middle age women fed iron-fortified ultra rice (13 mg iron/day) had a significantly higher body iron stores [25].…”