Iron (III)-Sodium-EDTA, as used for food fortification, aggravates intestinal inflammation and drives tumorigenesis in mouse models of colitis-associated cancer

Western lifestyle is associated with increasing prevalence of IBD, processed food and food fortification being a likely cause. Iron supplementation may increase gut inflammation and colitis-associated cancer (CAC). Novel Fe products which are chemically not Fe(II) salts and presumably better tolerated have become available. Here we compared various Fe compounds at 450 mg elemental Fe/kg chow [Na-EDTA-Fe(III) (as used for food fortification), Fe(III)maltol (Iron Therapeutics), plant Fe (Biogena), and Fe(II)SO4)], in their potential to promote colitis and CAC in animal models (AOM/DSS and IL-10-/-). In addition, i…