Evaluation of iron supplementation effects of whey protein peptide-ferrous chelate: enhancing bioavailability and antioxidant capacity, promoting gut microbiota balance.

Medium-dose WPP-Fe at 2.0 mg Fe/kg BW produced superior hemoglobin levels compared to ferrous chloride and ferrous gluconate in IDA mice.

• Medium-dose WPP-Fe achieved hemoglobin levels of 156.35 ± 3.75 g/L
• The comparison was made against two established iron supplements: ferrous chloride (FeCl₂) and ferrous gluconate (Fe-gluc)
• The study used an iron deficiency anemia (IDA) mouse model

WPP-Fe at medium dose significantly enhanced iron bioavailability compared to control iron supplements.

• Iron bioavailability with medium-dose WPP-Fe was measured at 331.9 ± 43.88%
• The dose tested was 2.0 mg Fe/kg body weight
• This was superior to both FeCl₂ and Fe-gluc comparators

WPP-Fe alleviated oxidative stress in IDA mice through regulation of inflammatory cytokines and enhancement of antioxidant capacity.

• WPP-Fe treatment regulated inflammatory cytokines associated with IDA-induced oxidative stress
• Antioxidant capacity was enhanced following WPP-Fe supplementation
• These effects were observed in an IDA mouse model context

WPP-Fe supplementation altered gut microbiota composition, increasing the Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio in IDA mice.

• WPP-Fe increased the Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio compared to IDA controls
• Gut microbiota analysis was conducted as part of the study to link iron supplementation with microbial regulation
• Changes in this ratio are associated with shifts in gut microbial balance

WPP-Fe enriched the gut microbiota genus Ileibacterium, which was positively associated with hemoglobin levels.

• Ileibacterium was identified as a genus enriched following WPP-Fe supplementation
• A positive association was found between Ileibacterium abundance and hemoglobin levels
• This finding indicates a potential link between iron supplementation via WPP-Fe and gut microbial regulation

WPP-Fe exerts synergistic effects to enhance iron supplementation and alleviate IDA-related disturbances, supporting its potential as a novel functional iron source.

• The synergistic effects encompassed iron metabolism improvement, oxidative stress alleviation, and gut microbiota modulation
• The authors describe WPP-Fe as a potential 'novel functional iron source for nutritional and functional food applications'
• The chelate combines whey protein peptides with ferrous iron