Food-supplement composition suitable for promoting iron absorption

Abstract

Use of a composition comprising cartilage or chondroitin sulphate and absorbable zinc for the preparation of a food supplement or a drug suitable for promoting iron absorption in patients suffering from lack of iron.

1 . A method for preparing an iron absorption composition which comprises mixing: (a) cartilage or chondroitin sulphate and (b) absorbable zinc in concentrations suitable for promoting iron absorption in patients suffering from lack of iron.  
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 13  for treating patients suffering from anaemia caused by lack of iron.  
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 13  in which said composition comprises cartilage and zinc, and said composition is administered at a rate sufficient to provide a cartilage administration rate within the range of from 100 to 2000 mg/day and the zinc, expressed as the ion, is administered at a rate of from 5 to 100 mg/day.  
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the cartilage is a standardized shark cartilage extract.  
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 13  in which the absorbable zinc in said composition is administered in the form of a salt selected from the group consisting of citrate, fumarate, gluconate, α-ketoglutarate, lactate, malate, succinate, picolinate, aspartate, pidolate, orotate, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the composition further comprises a haematopoietic agent selected from folic acid, vitamin B 6  and vitamin B 12 .  
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 6  in which the haematopoietic agent is included in the composition for administration within the range of from 60 to 2000 μg/day.  
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the composition further comprises at least one anti-oxidizing agent selected from the group which consists of vitamin E, vitamin C, bioflavonoids, terpenes, lycopene, lipoic acid, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 8  in which the bioflavonoid-based anti-oxidizing agent comprises a vegetable extract selected from extract of  Vitis vinifera , extract of  Ginkgo biloba , extract of  Centella asiatica , and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the composition further comprises an iron salt.  
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 10  in which the iron salt is present in an amount sufficient to provide an administered dose of from 5 to 300 mg/day (expressed as the ferrous ion).  
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 13  further comprising combined therapy with drugs or iron supplements.  
   
   
       13 . A method for enhancing iron absorption in a patient suffering from lack of iron by administering to said patient an effective amount of a composition comprising: (a) cartilage or chondroitin sulphate, and (b) absorbable zinc, each being present in a concentration suitable for promoting iron absorption in treated patients.