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Science 15 March 2002:
Vol. 295. no. 5562, pp. 2065 - 2066
DOI: 10.1126/science.1069389
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Reports

Natural Iron Isotope Variations in Human Blood

Thomas Walczyk,1* Friedhelm von Blanckenburg2dagger

Isotopic analysis of human blood and liver and muscle tissue indicates that each individual bears a long-term iron (Fe) isotope signature in the blood. Blood and tissue differ slightly in isotopic composition and are depleted by up to 2.6 per mil in 56Fe relative to 54Fe when compared to dietary Fe. The 56Fe/54Fe isotope ratio in the blood of males is, on average, lower by 0.3 per mil than that of females. These results suggest that Fe isotope effects in the blood reflect differences in intestinal Fe absorption between individuals and genotypes.

1 Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Institute of Food Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, Seestrasse 72, CH-8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland.
2 Isotope Geology, University of Berne, Erlachstrasse 9a, CH-3012 Berne, Switzerland.
*   To whom correspondence should be adressed. E-mail: thomas.walczyk{at}ilw.agrl.ethz.ch

dagger    Present address: Institute of Mineralogy, University of Hannover, Callinstrasse 3, D-30167 Hannover, Germany.

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Hereditary hemochromatosis is reflected in the iron isotope composition of blood.
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E. P. Skaar, M. Humayun, T. Bae, K. L. DeBord, and O. Schneewind (2004)
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No enhancing effect of vitamin A on iron absorption in humans.
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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)