The extent of coprophagy in rats with differing iron status and its effect on iron absorption

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of coprophagy in rats with differing iron status and its effect on the measurement of iron absorption from test meals with and without bran. Two experiments were performed using radioisotope-labelled microspheres added as a non-digestible marker for the ingested faeces and the diet and 59Fe added as a marker for the non-haem iron in the test meal.In this study, coprophagy occurred at group mean rates of between 5 and 22% and was independent of the iron status of the rats or the presence or absence of bran in the diet. The relative absorption of iron, measured as the retention of 59Fe from a single meal, was affected to the same extent in groups with the same iron status, if it was affected at all. Thus comparisons of iron absorption from diets with and without bran should not be affected by coprophagy.