Urinary Excretion of 8-isoprostane-F2α, a Biomarker of In vivo Lipid Peroxidation and Oxidative Stress, is Increased in Pregnant Ghanaian Women Taking 60 mg Iron Compared to 20 mg Iron and Multiple Micronutrients
Lacey Baldiviez *
University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
Seth Adu-Afarwuah
University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
Per Ashorn
University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
Theresa Pedersen
USDA Western Human Nutrition Research Center, Davis, CA, USA.
John Newman
USDA Western Human Nutrition Research Center, Davis, CA, USA and University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
Kathryn Dewey
University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Objectives: To compare the effects of 3 different iron-containing supplements on 8-isoprostane-F2α, a subclinical indicator of oxidative stress, in pregnant women in Ghana.
Methods: Pregnant women were randomly assigned to receive one of the following 3 interventions: Fe/FA: 60 mg iron and 400 μg folic acid capsule, MMN: 20 mg iron and 18 micronutrients capsule, or LNS: 20 mg iron and multiple micronutrients in a lipid-based nutrient supplement as part of the International Lipid-based Nutrient Supplement trial. We measured urinary 8-isoprostane-F2α and creatinine, to calculate 8-isoprostane-F2α: creatinine ratio in a sub-sample of 217 women at <20 wk and 36 wk gestation.
Results: The overall effect of intervention group on mean (± SE) 8-isoprostane-F2α: creatinine at 36 wk was significant (p=0.04). The significant pairwise comparison was between the Fe/FA group (1.87±0.12 ng/mg creatinine) and the MMN group (1.48±0.09, p=0.02). The LNS group (1.64±0.10) was not significantly different from either of the other two groups.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that an increase in oxidative stress may occur with daily 60 mg iron compared to 20 mg iron with multiple micronutrients among pregnant women in Ghana.