Abstract
Oral or intravenous administration of iron is customary for treating iron deficiency anemia in hemodialysis patients, but it may not be effective or even provoke hemochromatosis in some patients because the underlying causes vary from one patient to another.
A study of nutritional conditions of 30 outpatients on hemodialysis revealed that their energy, protein and iron intakes were less than the recommended dietary allowances in Japan. The blood test revealed iron deficiency in many of them.
We prescribed physiologically functional foods such as Tsukudani (seaweed preserve) and Furikake (flaked dried fish) containing hemo-iron which are currently considered to have the best absorption rate and studied the intake after six months after prescription. A questionnaire survey was conducted regarding the frequency, tastiness, economy and handiness of the foods prescribed, and about 80% responded that they took the foods every day or occasionally. Fifty % of patients eating Tsukudani and 80% of those eating Furikake indicated their satisfaction over the taste, and 90% of all the respondents indicated that they were satisfied with the cost or handiness of the functional foods.
Blood analyses of 8 patients who daily ingested hemo-iron-containing foods revealed no significant differences in the paired results of hemoglobin, hematocrit and serum iron before and after the end of the six-month ingestion period, but showed a gradual improvement in hemoglobin concentration after six months.
The hemo-iron functional foods are considered satisfactory and appropriate in terms of taste, economy and handiness.
