Effect of sorbitol on iron absorption in man

All subjects were adults, nine normal volunteers and three patients with iron deficiency classified on the basis of their serum iron and unsaturated ironbinding capacity. Two of the latter patients were slightly anemic1t (Table i) ; none received supplementary iron throughout the observation period. The serum iron was determined using the method of Peters et al. and the unsaturated iron-binding capacity by that of Finch and Rath.6 Two iron preparations were tested. One was a ferrous sulfate solution containing 6.66 mg. of iron per ml. The other solution had the same concentration of ferrous sulfate but also included 1 1.66 mg. of sorbitol per mg. of iron. No other iron preparations were used during either the observation period preceding the study or the study itself. The F&9 utilization tests performed in each subject were identical; the only variable being the presence or absence of sorbitol in the iron solution. For each of two fourteen-day trial periods, 0.5 mg. of