Effect of Ethionine-induced Pancreatic Damage on Iron Absorption

Groups of rats were fed a diet of the purified type which was supplemented by dl-ethionine to produce pancreatic damage. It was shown that animals with pancreatic damage absorbed more iron from the gastrointestinal tract than control animals without pancreatic damage. When iron was added to the diet the animals with pancreatic damage absorbed even greater quantities of iron. These findings in rats were corroborated by similar findings in mice.