Effect of ingestion of starch and some clays on iron absorption

The effect of Argo gloss starch and of 2 popular clays on the absorption of a standard dose of ferrous iron was measured in women with iron-deficiency anemia and in normal subjects. The ingestion of sizable amounts of the starch or clays just prior to the iron did not appreciably impair iron absorption. Therefore, if the laundry starch contributes to the development of iron-deficiency anemia, it most likely does so simply by providing calories without iron rather than by impairing iron absorption. Although the 2 popular regional clays studied did not reduce the amount of iron absorbed, the ingestion of some clays has been demonstrated by others to do so. A red clay containing considerable iron proved to be ineffective for correcting iron-deficiency anemia.