New Treatment For Combating Iron Deficiency

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed and tested a new compound designed to address iron deficiency. The human body absorbs this form of iron at almost twice the rate of iron found in current supplements. As a result, it could offer an effective way to treat iron deficiency, which affects around 2 billion people worldwide.

ETH scientists are developing a new type of iron supplement that combines oat protein nanofibrils with iron nanoparticles.

An initial clinical study in humans shows that iron delivered in this form is absorbed at nearly double the rate of standard iron supplements.

ETH Zurich has patented the technology, and the researchers aim to extend its use to other micronutrient deficiencies.

Iron deficiency is common worldwide. Women are particularly affected, with one in five in Europe experiencing iron deficiency. The condition can lead to anaemia, persistent fatigue, chronic headaches and reduced immune function. A team led by ETH professor Raffaele Mezzenga has developed a new dietary supplement that may support more efficient treatment of iron deficiency and anaemia. The project is co-led by Michael B. Zimmermann, professor emeritus at ETH Zurich. The preparation consists of edible oat protein nanofibrils coated with iron nanoparticles. The findings have been published in Nature Food.

The compound is straightforward to produce and highly effective. According to a rigorous clinical study carried out by project partners in Thailand, its iron is absorbed almost twice as well as iron from iron sulphate, the most widely used standard in supplementation. The study involved 52 women aged 18 to 45 with iron deficiency anaemia.

The new preparation offers several advantages. Because it is based on plant proteins, it is suitable for vegetarians and vegans. “This is relevant because they are more likely to experience iron deficiency than people who consume meat, as the body absorbs iron from animal foods more efficiently than plant-derived iron,” notes Mezzenga. The compound is also tasteless and colourless, meaning it does not noticeably change the flavour or appearance of foods, whereas iron sulphate often imparts a metallic aftertaste.

“Sensory properties are important for consumer acceptance of food additives,” adds Jiangtao Zhou, the study’s first author, former postdoctoral researcher in Mezzenga’s group and now an assistant professor at the National University of Singapore. The oat protein supplement can be dissolved in water or juice, or added to food in powder form, for example muesli. “However, the clinical study indicates that the supplement is absorbed most effectively when dissolved in water,” says Mezzenga.

Iron is naturally present in foods such as red meat, lentils and whole grains. Premenopausal women require around 18 milligrams per day, while men need approximately 11 milligrams per day. Nevertheless, around 15 percent of men also experience iron deficiency. When supplements are poorly absorbed, individuals may require iron infusions in more severe cases.

The researchers initially used animal proteins when developing the process a few years ago, but the patent covers all food protein sources, including plant-based ones. It has now been granted in Europe and the USA.

Mezzenga and colleagues hope that iron-enriched oat protein fibres will soon find broader applications. “The regulatory threshold for introducing a dietary supplement is lower than that for a pharmacological product,” explains Mezzenga, who aims to adapt the technology further to address other deficiencies, such as zinc and selenium.

This blog is based on an article by ETH Zurich. Read the original article here.

Zhou J, Gowachirapant S, Zeder C et al.: Oat protein nanofibril–iron hybrids offer a stable, high-absorption iron delivery platform for iron fortification, Nature Food 2025, doi: 10.1038/s43016-025-01260-6