A small-dose iron tolerance test as an indicator of mild iron deficiency
W. H. Crosby and M. A. O'Neil-Cutting
Small doses of iron (5 to 20 mg) were used to study absorption in normal
and mildly iron-deficient men. Plasma iron concentration was measured
before and at frequent intervals after ingestion of iron. Men with normal
iron stores showed little change in plasma iron levels, while mildly
iron-deficient men showed large increases. This consistent observation of
increases in plasma iron levels indicates that the iron tolerance test
using small doses of iron is a sensitive indicator of iron deficiency. It
provides a means of studying iron absorption without the use of radioactive
tracers.
