Duration of the inhibitory effect of calcium on non-haem iron absorption in man

We investigated the duration of the inhibitory effect of calcium from milk and cheese (340 mg) in a breakfast meal on non-haem iron absorption from a hamburger meal eaten 2 or 4 h after the breakfast. The effect of calcium on iron absorption was studied in 21 human subjects by using paired observations and a dual-radioisotope method (55Fe and 59Fe). No duration effect of calcium on iron absorption was observed in this study. The present findings offer an opportunity for theoretical improvement of iron nutrition by a redistribution of the daily intake of calcium to the meals with a minor iron content, i.e. breakfast and the evening meal.