Advantages of the Supplementation with both a Protein and Heme Hydrolyzate and Ionic Iron during Iron Deficiency Anemia

Background: nutritional anemia caused by iron (Fe) deficiency is considered a major public health problem. Interventions to address nutritional anemia have been traditionally focused on supplementation with ionic Fe that causes gastrointestinal adverse effects. On the other hand, some nutritional studies have demonstrated the advantages of supplementation with both, a protein and heme hydrolyzate and ionic Fe. However there are few experimental and clinical evidences to conclude on the efficacy of this supplementation strategy to treat the Fe deficiency and anemia. Aim: is to know about the physiological and biochemical events proposed to explain the anemia recovery during a treatment with both a protein and heme hydrolyzate and ionic Fe during Fe deficiency anemia recovery. Results: some aspects related to the most recent events elucidated about the metabolism of both chemical forms of Fe were included in this work. Nutritional supplements that exist from both, a protein hydrolyzate with heme and ionic Fe, with some results that demonstrate the efficacy of this treatment in humans and a rat model of anemia, are also discuss. Conclusion: supplementation with both Fe sources allows, simultaneously, the anemia recovery and the decreased oxidative damage caused by traditional Fe therapies to treat nutritional anemia by Fe deficiency.