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Journal of Nutrition Vol. 117 No. 9 September 1987, pp. 1514-1519
Copyright © 1987 by American Society for Nutrition
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Iron Intake Influences Essential Fatty Acid and Lipid Composition of Rat Plasma and Erythrocytes

Stephen C. Cunnane1, 2, and Kelly R. McAdoo

Efamol Research Institute, Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada B4N 4H8

In view of the clinical importance of iron deficiency as well as the known role of iron in stearic acid desaturation, the effects of higher or lower iron intake on fatty acid composition of blood and liver in the rat were studied. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed purified diets that contained iron at 12, 27 or 237 mg/kg. After 12 wk the lipid and fatty acid composition of plasma, erythrocytes and liver was analyzed. Linoleic acid in plasma phospholipids and triacylglycerols was higher, but arachidonic acid was lower in the group fed 12 mg/kg iron than in the groups fed 27 or 237 mg/kg iron. Liver fatty acid and lipid composition was not different between groups. In the group fed 237 mg/kg iron, plasma cholesterol and triacylglycerols were 150%, erythrocyte cholesterol was 137% and erythrocyte phospholipids were 148% of levels in the rats fed 27 mg/kg iron. The fatty acid data suggest a mild impairment in essential fatty acid metabolism in moderately iron-deficient rats. The lipid data suggest a significant alteration in the total lipid content of plasma and erythrocytes of iron-supplemented rats.

KEY WORDS: • arachidonic acid • cholesterol • desaturase • erythrocyte • essential fatty acid • iron • linoleic acid • phospholipid • triacylglycerol

1 Industrial Research Fellow of the National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada during this research.

2 Present address: Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada M5S 1A8.

Manuscript received 5 September 1986. Revision accepted 7 May 1987.






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